Blackout adds to Rome airport turmoil after blaze

(ANSA) - Rome, July 30 - The blackout that lasted about 20 minutes Thursday at Rome's Fiumicino international airport did not affect the air-traffic control towers so flights were able to land and takeoff, officials said.
    The power outage lasted about 20 minutes but control towers have a particular system supported by the ENAV civil aviation authority that allowed operations to continue, officials added.
    The cause of the power outage, reported shortly before noon, was not immediately known. This marked the latest crisis at the airport, which was forced to temporarily close its runways on Wednesday by smoke blown in from pine-forest fires nearby.
    Delays and disruptions because of the smoke-blocked runways continued Thursday morning, with delays of up to three hours for some domestic and European flights. At least one low-cost carrier, Spain's Vueling, postponed a flight from Wednesday night to Thursday morning.
    ENAV said it has called a meeting for August 6 with ADR, the Fiumicino airport manager, and Alitalia to discuss Wednesday's incidents.
    The incidents came as the airport was finally recovering from damages caused by a fire in Terminal 3 in early May that caused major disruptions for several weeks.
    The prosecutor's office in the nearby port city of Civitavecchia has opened an investigation into Wednesday's blaze.