On 7 August 2013 , a fire originating in the immigration area caused massive damage to the airport and forced it to suspend operations temporarily . Unit 3 , usually dedicated to domestic operations , was used temporarily for international traffic . The worst fire in the airport 's history occurred on the fifteenth anniversary of the 1998 United States embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam , but no connection was immediately obvious and no terrorist group has claimed responsibility . The cause is not believed to be intentional , as no explosive devices were discovered during the initial investigation . According to Kenyan officials , firefighting efforts were hampered by some of the first responders choosing to loot the airport instead of fighting the blaze . International arrivals had been bused to a temporary facility set up in the ground floor of the new parkade until the reconstruction of the damaged areas . In June 2015 , a new , fully functional temporary terminal building became operational . This terminal building was planned for a design life of 10 years , until completion of the planned new permanent facility
1998 United States embassy bombings
1998 United States embassy bombings
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport