Chaos ensued Wednesday after a fire on an escalator filled a terminal with smoke at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Queens, New York, leaving at least nine injured, officials said.
A fire was reported on one of the escalators at the airport’s Terminal 8 at approximately 7:00 a.m., the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) said in a statement to the Daily Caller. The terminal was evacuated due to the “smoke condition,” officials said.
Nine people suffered minor injuries, the FDNY told the Daily Caller. One person refused medical attention, and eight others were transported to local hospitals for “further evaluation,” the FDNY said.
A fire was reported on one of the escalators at the airport’s Terminal 8 at approximately 7:00 a.m., the FDNY told the Daily Caller. The terminal was evacuated due to the “smoke condition,” officials said. (RELATED: Flights Halted As United Airlines Plane Catches Fire During Takeoff).
Numerous flights were delayed or canceled due to the fire, according to Forbes, citing local authorities. Regular operations have reportedly resumed.
Following the incident, four people were reportedly hospitalized with non-life-threatening conditions, Steve Burns, a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, told Forbes. Nearly 1,000 people were reportedly evacuated due to the incident, the spokesperson added.
Users on X, formerly Twitter, have shared photos and videos of the incident, including a video showing an abundance of fire trucks and cop cars on the runway.
More and more are coming… #JFK #NYC pic.twitter.com/CVxQh2u9DH
— Kiko ChImP Alvarez (@Kiko_Alvarez) July 24, 2024
The user who posted that clip shared another video with the caption, “Something is happening in #JFK airport. We are not allowed to depart.”
In a video shared on X from inside the terminal, crowds of people can be seen moving about as smoke fills the air with the fire alarm ringing in the background.
Reported fire at JFK terminal 8, whole terminal filled with smoke and evacuation with no explanation. pic.twitter.com/imCC74K3ow
— Blank User (@BlankUser685806) July 24, 2024
The John F. Kennedy Airport’s official X account warned customers flights would be “impacted” this morning.
Operations resumed as normal in Terminal 8, which major airlines such as American Airlines, British Airways and Qatar Airways fly out of, shortly after 8:00 a.m., Burns told Forbes. He reportedly added that the investigation remains ongoing.
