'Pandemonium' at Leeds Bradford Airport as passengers evacuated over fire alarm with 'no organisation'
There were scenes of “absolute chaos” at Leeds Bradford Airport as the terminal was evacuated due to a fire alarm.
Passengers were evacuated this afternoon (Friday) after the alarm sounded, with one saying that it was “pandemonium” due to the lack of information shared.
The airport has since said that the incident was a “false alarm”.
One passenger said that she was waiting for her flight when the fire alarms started sounding. She said that “shutters came down on bars and shops” but that there was “no announcement” over what was happening.
She said: “Everyone (was) stood not knowing what to do. (There was) no staff.
“People started walking towards fire exits and crowds were wandering aimlessly.”
She said that staff began trying to usher the passengers outside but that there was “dead ends” and “exits blocked”.
Fire engines started making their way onto the runway, she said, and people were still trying to make their way outside when the fire alarm stopped.
She said that people “started to walk back to their original seating” and there was “no announcements whatsoever”.
Another person posted on X with a picture of passengers outside the airport following the fire alarm, writing: “Absolute chaos with no organisation for evacuation. Members of staff shouting across a car park with no tannoy. Ridiculous!”