Gatwick Airport faced significant disruption on Saturday morning due to an evacuation prompted by a fire alarm activation in the North Terminal. The incident unfolded around 7:00 am, causing a scramble for passengers who were instructed to leave the departure lounge area. Eyewitness accounts shared on social media indicated that confusion prevailed during the evacuation, with some passengers expressing frustration over the lack of communication from airport staff. One passenger reportedly stated, “Stuck at Gatwick. They are not letting us out of the security area. No announcements.”
Amid the chaos, theories regarding the cause of the fire alarm began circulating online, notably an unverified claim that a passenger had attempted to use an emergency exit to vape. However, this assertion was dismissed by a spokesperson from Gatwick Airport, who provided a formal statement to The Mirror, clarifying, “The North Terminal was evacuated this morning following a fire alarm activation. The terminal is now back open and evacuated passengers have been processed back through security as quickly as possible.” This message was corroborated by multiple sources, including Wales Online and the Daily Mail, indicating the airport was working to restore order efficiently.
Reports suggested that the terminal was reopened by approximately 8:30 am, allowing travellers to filter back in and resume their journeys. Flights scheduled for the remainder of the day were expected to proceed without further interruptions.
Concerns about communication during the incident were echoed by several passengers, who described the situation as being "crammed like sardines" while awaiting further information about the emergency. This response followed a similar situation back in November when Gatwick was evacuated after a report of a potentially "suspicious package," which involved armed police and bomb disposal units attending the scene. During that instance, airport staff had to urgently instruct passengers to evacuate while maintaining a security perimeter.
As the day progressed, Gatwick Airport resumed normal operations, assisting passengers returning through security and addressing any lingering concerns related to the early morning evacuation.
Source: Noah Wire Services