Roberta Aguirre
On November 10, 2017, a lithium-ion camera battery exploded at Orlando International Airport, causing panic among travelers who mistook the loud explosion for gunfire. The incident occurred at a security checkpoint near gates 1-59, and while the bag containing the battery began to smolder, no one was injured. As a result of the incident, a ground stop was issued, and thousands of travelers were evacuated and rescreened, causing long delays and cancellations of around 24 flights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | November 10, 2017 |
| Time | Around 5 p.m. |
| Location | Orlando International Airport |
| Terminal | Main terminal building |
| Checkpoint | Near gates 1-59 |
| Cause | Lithium-ion camera battery explosion |
| Damage | Loud noise, luggage dropped, stanchions falling, bag smoldering |
| Injuries | None |
| Flights Impacted | 24 flights cancelled, numerous flights delayed |
| Communication | Social media, airport letter, police Twitter, TSA |
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What You'll Learn
The noise of the explosion was mistaken for gunfire, causing panic
On November 10, 2017, a lithium-ion camera battery exploded in a passenger's bag at Orlando International Airport, creating a loud noise that startled people and sparked panic. The noise of the explosion was mistaken for gunfire, leading to a spontaneous evacuation of the main terminal as travelers dropped their luggage and rushed to exit the building.
The incident occurred at a security checkpoint near gates 1-59 during peak travel time on Friday evening. The loud sound of the explosion, coupled with the sight of luggage being dropped and stanchions falling, caused people to mistake it for gunfire. Within seconds, travelers were evacuating the terminal, with some even walking on the tram tracks to flee the airport.
The Orlando Police Department quickly took to Twitter to assure the public that there was no shooting and that the noise was caused by a lithium battery explosion inside a camera bag. They confirmed that no shots were fired and that there was no danger to the public. However, the initial confusion and fear caused by the loud noise and subsequent evacuation led to chaos and panic among travelers.
As a result of the incident, a ground stop was issued, and numerous flights were delayed or canceled. All passengers, including those who had already boarded their flights, were brought back to the main terminal for rescreening. This caused significant delays and long lines at security checkpoints, with travelers reporting confusion and a lack of information during the event.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and Orlando International Airport officials worked to manage the situation and communicate with the public. In a letter released the following day, CEO Phil Brown commended the staff and travelers for their focus on security and safety during the incident. He also acknowledged the challenges of communicating with a large number of people and assured the public that the airport would continue to prioritize safety and transparency.
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The airport was evacuated and passengers were rescreened
A camera battery exploded at Orlando International Airport, Florida, on Friday, November 10, 2017, causing panic among travellers who mistook the loud explosion for gunfire. The incident occurred at a security checkpoint near gates 1-59. As a result, thousands of travellers were evacuated from the airport's terminals at peak travel time.
The noise of the lithium-ion battery exploding in a camera bag scared people, but no one was hurt. The bag containing the battery was smouldering, and the sound of the explosion was loud enough to trigger panic among travellers, who quickly evacuated the premises. Many dropped their luggage and rushed to leave the airport, with some even walking on the tram tracks to safety.
The Orlando Police Department took to Twitter to clarify that no shots had been fired and that there was no danger to the public. They explained that the noise was caused by a lithium-ion camera battery that had exploded and caught fire in a passenger's bag. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) also released a statement, thanking everyone involved for their focus on security and safety, patience, and compassion.
During the evacuation, emergency staff attempted to calm the situation, gain control, and gather everyone back into the building. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) directed the airport to have all passengers at every gate brought back to the main terminal for rescreening, including those who had already boarded departing flights and those on aircraft awaiting takeoff. This precautionary measure ensured the safety of all individuals involved.
The rescreening process caused significant delays, with travellers experiencing long lines as they had to go through security again. The incident also resulted in the cancellation of around 24 flights. Gates 70-129 resumed passenger-screening operations about 2.5 hours after the event, while gates 1-59 reopened approximately 4 hours later. The delay was partly due to the lack of gate space for returning aircraft and the need to relocate some planes.
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Around 24 flights were cancelled as a result of the incident
On November 10, 2017, a camera battery exploded at Orlando International Airport, causing a panic that led to the cancellation of around 24 flights. The incident occurred at a security checkpoint near gates 1-59, where a passenger's carry-on bag containing a camera with a lithium-ion battery caught fire and began to smoke. The loud noise of the explosion startled travelers and was mistaken by some as gunfire, prompting a spontaneous evacuation of the main terminal.
During the evacuation, emergency staff worked to calm the situation and communicated that there was no danger to the public. All passengers, including those who had already boarded their flights and those on aircraft awaiting takeoff, were brought back to the main terminal for rescreening. This precautionary measure, directed by the TSA, resulted in long lines and delays as passengers had to go through security screening again.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) spokesman, Rod Johnson, issued a statement confirming that no one was hurt in the incident. He also addressed the impact on flight operations, stating, "As a result of the incident, a ground stop was issued, and a number of flights were held while passengers were allowed back into the building and security checkpoints reactivated."
The CEO of GOAA, Phil Brown, also released a letter expressing gratitude for the focus on security, safety, patience, and compassion demonstrated by all involved. He acknowledged the confusion surrounding the incident and provided clarity on what occurred: "A passenger entering the checkpoint had a camera in their carry-on when apparently, the lithium-ion battery for the camera caught fire and the bag began to smoke." Brown further mentioned the challenges of communicating with a large number of people and assured a complete review of the airport's response.
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The explosion occurred at a security checkpoint near gates 1-59
On November 10, 2017, a lithium-ion camera battery exploded at a security checkpoint near gates 1-59 at Orlando International Airport. The loud explosion, which occurred just after 5 p.m., was mistaken by many for gunfire, causing panic and spontaneous evacuation of the main terminal. Some passengers dropped their luggage and knocked over stanchions as they rushed to exit the airport, with some even walking on the tram tracks.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and Orlando Police Department (OPD) quickly issued statements clarifying that no shots had been fired and that the noise was caused by a battery explosion. They also assured the public that there was no danger. The OPD tweeted:
> "There has been NO shooting at Orlando International Airport. There was a loud sound that startled people, but no shots fired, no danger to the public."
As a result of the incident, a ground stop was issued, and several flights were delayed or canceled while passengers were evacuated and then allowed back into the building to go through security screening again. This caused long lines and confusion, with travelers reporting a lack of communication from airport staff. The GOAA's CEO, Phil Brown, acknowledged the difficulty of communicating with such a large number of people and pledged to conduct a complete review of the airport's response.
The battery that exploded was located in a camera bag that a passenger was carrying through the security checkpoint. The bag began to smoke, and the passenger dropped it. Emergency responders moved the bag away from the crowds, and no one was injured in the incident.
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No one was hurt during the explosion
On November 10, 2017, a lithium-ion camera battery exploded in a passenger's bag at Orlando International Airport, causing panic and evacuation but no injuries. The incident occurred at a security checkpoint near gates 1-59, where a passenger's camera battery overheated, caught fire, and began to smoke. The loud explosion was mistaken for gunfire by some, leading to a spontaneous evacuation of the main terminal.
Orlando Police and airport staff quickly responded to the situation, investigating the incident and ensuring the safety of everyone involved. They confirmed that no shots were fired and that there was no danger to the public. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority also released a statement, thanking everyone for their focus on security and safety during the incident.
The explosion and subsequent evacuation caused significant disruptions to airport operations. Thousands of travelers across multiple airlines were evacuated from the terminals and had to go through security screening again. This led to long lines and flight delays, with some flights being canceled.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) directed the airport to bring all passengers at every gate back to the main terminal for rescreening, including those who had already boarded their flights and planes waiting to take off. This precautionary measure contributed to the lengthy delays as the airport faced challenges with gate space for returning aircraft.
While the incident caused a great deal of panic and inconvenience, it is important to emphasize that no one was hurt during the explosion. The quick response and cooperation of airport staff, emergency personnel, and passengers alike ensured the safety of everyone involved.
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Frequently asked questions
A lithium-ion camera battery exploded at Orlando International Airport.
The explosion caused panic among travellers, with many mistaking the loud noise for a gunshot. This led to a spontaneous evacuation of the main terminal, with thousands of people forced to go through security screening again. Around 24 flights were cancelled.
Fortunately, no one was hurt from the explosion. The bag containing the camera and battery was smouldering, but the passenger dropped the bag and emergency responders moved it away from the crowds.
