Fire at LaGuardia Airport causes evacuation
People were sent scrambling without their shoes when an x-ray machine caught on fire at LaGuardia Airport.
It happened late Sunday afternoon at Terminal C. It resulted in plenty of smoke, confusion, delayed flights and some very long lines.
An electrical fire in the x-ray machine took it out just before 5:00 p.m.
One passenger said, "It was scary. My first thought was why is it so foggy in here?"
That fog was actually smoke, so the Port Authority decided to evacuate the 600 people in the terminal.
"All of my belongings are in there. My shoes, my purse, my identification," said a woman from Canada who said her name was Carol.
Passengers had to wait outside for about a half-hour.
Dozens of firefighters responded. Two Port Authority officers had to be treated for smoke inhalation.
"It's horrible!" said one frustrated passenger.
"My flight leaves in half an hour," said another passenger who had to wait a second time to go through screening.
Scott Johnson was told he was not getting out until Monday morning.
"They said there's nowhere to sleep in this terminal. You can take a bus to another terminal and find a chair in that terminal," said Johnson.
"It's an adventure. They're doing a good job. They're doing the best they can. Things happen," said one passenger.
The airport was delaying flights for 15 or 20 minutes or so as many people as possible who were caught in the evacuation could make their connections.
