Two men being questioned after Newark Airport evacuation; officials say no threat
Travelers at Newark Liberty Airport evacuated in a panic Monday night after an Alaska Airlines employee hit an alarm following an encounter with two men, officials said Monday.
The employee approached two men at Gate 30 in Terminal A at Newark Airport at around 8:30 p.m., said Steve Coleman, a spokesman for the Port Authority.
"When both men fled the area, the employee became concerned and hit an alarm," Coleman said in a statement. "The alarm caused approximately 150-200 passengers to self-evacuate."
The two men were identified and are being questioned by the Port Authority Police Department, Coleman said. They are not in custody and have not been charged.
As a precaution, passengers and employees were being rescreened, officials at Newark Airport said on Twitter.
#EWR It was determined that there was no threat in the Terminal A-3 Satellite. All passengers and employees are being rescreened as a precaution. [15]
— Newark Liberty Airport (@EWRairport) September 3, 2019
Videos on social media showed travelers leaving the terminal, as authorities ran through asking people to leave. Some passengers were forced to stand out on the airport tarmac.
Insane situation here at Newark Airport. They just told us all to evacuate and whole terminal scattered. Bags left behind. I initially thought it was an active shooter. Maybe a bomb threat. Confusion and chaos pic.twitter.com/eEAJusrXK8
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 3, 2019
Passengers who evacuated have returned to the terminal, Coleman said. There was no impact to airport operations.
This article originally appeared on North Jersey Record: Newark Airport evac: Officials say no threat; cops question two men
