One of London Heathrow Airport’s four terminals was reopened on Monday evening after a brief evacuation triggered by concerns over a possible hazardous materials incident. Authorities later confirmed the area was safe.
Terminal 4, which handles both European and long-haul flights, was temporarily shut as specialist crews from the London Fire Brigade assessed the situation. Paramedics treated 21 people at the scene, with one patient taken to hospital, the London Ambulance Service said. The nature of the suspected incident has not been disclosed.
Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, apologised for the disruption in a statement on social media platform X, assuring passengers it was “doing everything we can” to keep flights departing as planned. Online flight trackers indicated departures continued during the disruption.
The London Fire Brigade later confirmed it was standing down its response, while Metropolitan Police officers, who also attended the scene, said no trace of any “adverse substance” was found.
Footage circulating online showed crowds of passengers gathered outside the terminal during the evacuation. The airport stressed that safety measures were precautionary.
The scare comes months after Heathrow faced major disruption in March, when a fire at a nearby electrical substation caused a near day-long shutdown, grounding flights worldwide and stranding thousands of travellers.
Melissa Enoch
About the Author
