VALLETTA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Malta International Airport was temporarily closed on Tuesday afternoon following a fire that broke out within the terminal building.

All passengers in the terminal building were evacuated as the airport's Fire Services department were extinguishing the fire, which was not big but generated heavy smoke.

Nobody was injured in the fire, which started at about 1:15 p.m. But flights to and from the airport were disrupted with a total of 16 flights impacted.

Malta's Home Affairs minister Michael Farrugia said that the blaze was caused by a faulty aquarium pump in a part of the airport.

Operations of the airport returned to normal by 3:45 p.m.

Local authorities have launched an inquiry into the incident.