Airport partially evacuated after leak scare in vaccinations cargo
GLASGOW Airport was partially evacuated and an aircraft cordoned off after a leak in cargo containing vaccinations.
Dozens of emergency service vehicles, including environmental protection units, were called at around 11.15am after concerns were raised regarding cargo within a KLM flight from Amsterdam.
An exclusion zone of around 200 metres was set up around the KL1473 flight, which touched down at 11am, while an inspection took place.
Pictures from the scene showed the vast emergency response and officers trying to direct traffic away from the incident.
It later emerged that the concerns circulated around a leaking package containing glass tubes of vaccines.
The airline since confirmed that the tubes remained intact, adding “passengers were never in danger”.
Inside the airport part of the international terminal was evacuated, but all other areas remained operational.
The incident was later stood down at around 1.25pm.
A spokesperson for the airline said: “KLM confirms that on board KL1473, operating between Amsterdam and Glasgow, a package packed in dry ice started to leak.
“The package contained glass tubes with vaccines. These tubes have remained intact with only the cooling around them starting to leak.
“As a precaution, the fire brigade cordoned off the immediate vicinity of the aircraft. Passengers were never in danger but were taken off as a precaution.
“The incident was stood down at 13.30 after the package was declared safe by emergency services.”
A Virgin flight was also evacuated as a result of the incident, but a spokesperson for the airline confirmed this was due to logistics in allowing emergency vehicles to access the KLM jet rather than any other suspicious package.
Roads around the airport were closed as a precaution as investigations took place.
The M8 slip road to the terminals was one of those affected, but was re-opened less than an hour later.
A spokesperson for Glasgow Airport added: “At approximately 10am today, the airport fire service attended an arriving KLM flight in response to concerns raised over a piece of cargo.
“The incident was stood down at 13.25pm after the package was declared safe by emergency services.”
And Police Scotland later confirmed there is “no suspicious circumstances” surrounding the alert.
They said: “Following examination of the cargo package on the plane at Glasgow Airport, we can now confirm that the package has been deemed safe and there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding this incident.”