“Smoke at the Airport and the Weird Way It Made Me Think About Trust”
So, funny thing happened last weekend.
Well—not funny “ha-ha”, but more like “huh, this could’ve gone really bad but didn’t.”
I was at Kotoka International Airport’s Terminal 3, waiting to pick up my cousin who was flying in from Dubai. You know the drill—roaming around the arrivals area, overpriced cappuccino in one hand, checking the screen every 2 minutes like that would magically make the plane land faster.
Then I saw it.
Not fire. Not panic. But smoke—light at first, curling up from one of the restaurants. And then people started murmuring, some backing away, a couple security guys walking fast (which is never a good sign), and suddenly I wasn’t thinking about my cousin anymore. I was thinking:
> “Yo. What if this turns into something serious?”
The Smoke Was Contained—But That’s Not What Stuck With Me
According to the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), the situation was “quickly contained.” And thank God for that. No injuries, no chaos. Just a momentary scare that got extinguished before it became a headline tragedy.
But that moment—it lingered.
Because here’s what I realized: Airports are one of the few places we blindly trust.
We assume everything will just work—security, electricity, ventilation, fire safety. We trust that the baggage will come out, the pilot knows what he’s doing, and yes, that no random kitchen fire will spread into a full-blown disaster.
So when something shakes that trust, even for a second—it’s like getting unplugged from the Matrix.
-I’m Not a Nervous Flyer, But…
Okay, maybe I am. I overthink things. (Like that one time I brought a portable charger and spent the whole flight wondering if it would randomly explode in the overhead bin.)
But that smoke? It reminded me how thin the line really is between “everything’s fine” and “everything’s on fire.”
And how much we rely on people behind the scenes—cleaners, chefs, airport fire crew, safety officers—just doing their job quietly so the rest of us can Instagram our airport fits in peace.
-What If It Had Been Worse?
In my experience, Ghana is pretty good at brushing things off. “It didn’t get out of hand, so let’s move on.”
But this time, I hope we don’t.
Because yeah, the smoke at KIA Terminal 3 was contained, but maybe it’s a quiet wake-up call. Not just for airport authorities, but for all of us.
Do we take safety seriously enough?
Do restaurants in high-traffic areas get fire inspections?
Do we assume too much, just because something looks polished on the outside?
-A Little Smoke Can Still Leave a Mark
That afternoon, I watched a woman—probably in her 60s—walk quickly toward the exit with her small suitcase, hand clutching her chest like she wasn’t sure if she should panic or pray.
No alarms went off. No one screamed. But the look in her eyes said it all.
Even when it’s “just smoke,” it sticks with people.
-So, Ghana Airports Company—Thanks… But Also?
Don’t get me wrong, GACL deserves credit for responding fast. But also… maybe more transparency wouldn’t hurt?
Like, what caused the smoke? How long did it take to resolve? Are we upgrading fire systems or just giving interviews?
Because people don’t just need safety—they need to feel safe.
-Final Thought (Because I Ramble)
What would it look like if we treated every “minor incident” like a chance to majorly improve?
What if we didn’t wait for a disaster to take precautions seriously?
Next time I sip overpriced airport coffee, I’d love to be thinking about my cousin’s arrival—not wondering where the nearest fire exit is.
Just a thought.
And hey—if you were at KIA Terminal 3 last weekend too, I hope your flight came in safe… and your coffee wasn’t burnt like that restaurant’s wiring.
Stay alert. Stay human.
And maybe check where the fire extinguisher is, just in case.