Fire alarms were set off neat the babbage reclaim area at the North Terminal of BHX due to a mystery smoke incident this afternoon
Groups of people have been held on the tarmac outside the arrivals hall at Birmingham Airport (Image: Sander van Barneveld)
Passengers had reacted with anger after being held up at a major Midland airport following a mystery smoke incident.
People arriving on flights at Birmingham Airport were caught up in an incident at the venue’s North Terminal on Tuesday (April 7).
The fire service was alerted at 1pm after a fire alarm was set off in the baggage area with reports of smoke and the ‘smell of fire’ too.
Read more: Birmingham Airport evacuation live after North Terminal incident
But so far the cause of the smoke, and one would expect a fire, has yet to be confirmed with the airport declaring the incident over.
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: “Firefighters are at the airport, after reports of smoke in a baggage reclaim area. “There is no confirmed fire, and we are working with on-site staff to identify the source of the smoke.”
A fire engine at Birmingham Airport dealing with an incident in the baggage area (Image:
Elliot Labbate)
Delays were starting to appear on the BHX departure board.
A Jet2 flight to Tenerife South was due to leave at 2.30pm and is now estimated to leave at 4.15pm.
A KLM flight which was due to leave at 5.40pm is now showing an estimated departure time of 6pm.
Other flights are not though showing delays at the moment.
But the last flight to show as ‘departed’ at the airport us the 1.25pm flight to Amsterdam, which left at 2.18pm.
Passengers from a number of planes are being held airside at Birmingham Airport following the fire incident and evacuation (Image: Sander van Barneveld
)
Birmingham Airport confirmed the incident was ‘contained’ and the airport is still operational.
But passengers said they have been left in the dark as to what had being going on with many held on planes arriving at the airport and some evacuated from the arrivals hall while the incident was being investigated.
Douglas Bagley said: “How does the airport remain operational when there are hundreds of passengers (including me) stuck on planes. We have no idea when we will be allowed to leave the planes.”
And Kip Lines said: “Those of us sitting on planes for the last hour at Birmingham Airport would love more info.”
Ian Turley added: “Birmingham Airport this is truly shocking, no communication with the hundreds, if not thousands, of people who are stuck outside, unable to leave the airport – with or without their luggage- and not even an offer of a bottle of water.”
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Another passenger has said: “I’m stuck on a Ryanair flight in Birmingham Airport.
“There are queues all out the arrivals and I’m stuck in the plane and they have told us nothing but that there’s been a fire.”
While Melodie Acosta told BirminghamLive: “We’re landed at BHX at 2pm with already more than 30 minute delay.
“And when we landed we’ve been advised of the situation and been told it was going to last around 20 more minutes.
“It’s now been one hour 30 minutes and no one tell us anything. We don’t know how much longer this is all going to take.
“People have train journeys, or cars waiting for them.
“I have a hard time understanding how there is ZERO updates for the people that are STUCK inside planes that landed hours ago and are not allowed to get out of them.
“I keep refreshing and it says there is no fire so why are we all still stuck?”
Fire evacuation at Birmingham Airport(Image: David Evans)
Other passengers had reported some passengers being given help.
Sander van Barneveld who flew in from Amsterdam said: “Disembarked our plane at 12:00, directed straight outside from the passport control area.
“Waited outside for an hour and escorted into a waiting area inside the terminal until further instructions. Now 1.5 hour after getting off the plane.
“People are now handed water bottles and can use the facilities.”
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Elliot Labbate who arrived on the same flight said: “Everything is OK.
“Some people, old and families, been escorted inside to a safe area to get some shade. Giving out waters.”
Birmingham Airport has posted on its website and initially said: “We are aware of an incident affecting baggage reclaim and immigration in the North Terminal.
“We are working with West Midlands Fire Service and as a precaution and passengers have been evacuated from this area only.
“The area has been contained and other areas of the airport remain operational.
“The safety of our people and passengers is our number one priority and further updates will be provided.”
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A Birmingham Airport spokesman added said: “Following the evacuation of baggage reclaim and immigration areas in the North Terminal, West Midlands Fire Service has confirmed it is safe for passengers to return, as the incident is now resolved.
“We are working to move all displaced passengers back into the terminal as quickly as possible.
“We apologise for the inconvenience this has caused some of our passengers. Safety is our number one priority and we thank people for their patience and our partners for their support.”