Chaos erupted at Milan’s Malpensa Airport in Italy on Tuesday morning when a man set fire to part of a check-in area inside Terminal 1. The usually busy hub, popular among tourists and British travellers, was thrown into confusion around 11:00 local time as smoke filled the air and crowds rushed to evacuate.
Video clips posted online capture the dramatic scene of people running. In one, flames rise from a desk while travellers hurry away from the scene. Moments later, the man responsible can be seen swinging a hammer at digital screens near the blaze.
Shouts ring out in the terminal before another passenger steps in, striking the suspect with a fire extinguisher. Several others then restrain him on the floor until the police arrive. It was said that he sustained a blow to the head from the extinguisher, but no injuries were reported.
“I was very scared,” said Fabiola Gomes, who filmed one of the videos while waiting to pick up a relative. She added that it seemed like the fire was everywhere. In addition to the chaos, she stated that while the flames were raging, “a boy” used a hammer to repeatedly strike the counter.
According to reports, police received a report about an “agitated man” inside the terminal. Firefighters managed to bring the fire under control quickly, but the heavy smoke forced authorities to evacuate parts of the building as a precaution. Images show long lines of passengers waiting outside after being told to leave the terminal.
Following the incident, the suspect was arrested, and the order was restored in the airport. While no injuries have been reported, officials warned travellers of potential delays and cancellations.
Investigators have not disclosed what may have motivated the attack, and the name of the suspect remains undisclosed. It is unclear if the man was also a traveller.
