ATLANTA – Expect even longer delays at Atlanta’s airport after the air traffic control tower was evacuated on Friday afternoon.
What we know:
According to the FAA, the tower at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was evacuated after a fire alarm and reports of a strong natural gas odor.
A ground stop has been issued for all inbound flights through 6:15 p.m.
An FAA official told FOX 5’s Tyler Fingert that the Atlanta Fire Rescue is on scene investigating.
No injuries have been reported.
According to FlightAware.com, 360 flights were delayed at the Atlanta airport as of 5:50 p.m. Friday. Another five flights were canceled.
Sources tell FOX 5’s Tyler Fingert that some flights are being diverted. FlightAware shows several flights inbound to Atlanta turning around or circling.
The backstory:
The Transportation Security Administration said roughly 114,000 passengers were expected to be screened in Atlanta, possibly surpassing the previous record set in May. By midday, more than 57,000 passengers had already passed through security checkpoints.
SEE ALSO: Atlanta’s airport nears record traffic as shutdown strains TSA, air traffic controllers
Both air traffic controllers and TSA officers have been working for over a week without pay due to the government shutdown.
What we don’t know:
Officials have not said what caused the reported gas smell or how long the tower will remain closed.
It’s unclear whether any flights already in the air will be diverted to other airports or how the delay will affect connecting passengers.
The FAA has not said when controllers will be allowed to return or whether operations can resume before the ground stop expires.
The Source: The FAA provided the details for this article. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.
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