One of the four terminals at London’s Heathrow Airport that was evacuated earlier on Monday because of a possible hazardous materials scare has now reopened.
The airport confirmed that the terminal was safe after emergency checks and resumed normal operations.
Heathrow issues apology to passengers
Heathrow issued an apology to passengers for the inconvenience caused. In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the airport said: “Emergency services have confirmed Terminal 4 is safe to reopen and we are doing everything we can to ensure all flights depart as planned today. We are very sorry for the disruption caused, the safety and security of our passengers and colleagues is our number one priority. We encourage passengers to check with their airline for the latest information about their flight this evening and our colleagues will be on hand into the night to assist.”
Terminal 4 was temporarily closed for checks
Terminal 4, which handles both European and long-haul flights, was closed during the evening as emergency teams and specialist crews assessed the situation.
Paramedics treated 21 people at the terminal, and one person was taken to the hospital, according to the London Ambulance Service. Officials have not revealed the exact nature of the incident.
Police find no harmful substance
Specialist officers from the Metropolitan Police searched the terminal thoroughly and later confirmed that no harmful or dangerous substance was found. Earlier, some videos shared online appeared to show crowds of passengers waiting outside the building, but Heathrow’s departure boards suggested flights were continuing to take off despite the temporary closure.
This is not the first time Heathrow has faced major disruption. Back in March, a fire at a nearby electrical substation forced the closure of the entire airport for almost a whole day. The incident led to worldwide flight delays and left thousands of passengers stranded.