Friday night travellers have been forced to evacuate a terminal at Melbourne Airport after a fire broke out.
Fire Rescue Victoria and Aviation Firefighting and Rescue Services responded to reports of a blaze in Terminal 1. As of 8.40pm, a Melbourne Airport spokesperson confirmed the fire had been put out.
Passengers being evacuated on Friday night from Melbourne Airport.Credit: Instagram, Jacqui Felgate
“The fire has been completely extinguished. The terminal – Terminal 1 only – was evacuated in response to the fire alarms,” the spokeswoman said.
“We are actively working with emergency services to assess the extent of the impact and to determine when it will be safe for operations to recommence and for passengers and staff to return to the terminal.
“The safety of passengers and staff is our top priority right now, and we appreciate everyone’s patience. We encourage Qantas passengers travelling domestically to check with the airline on the current status of their flight.”
Significant delays to Qantas flights are expected. Credit: iStock
Significant delays to Qantas flights are expected.
Qantas flights that had landed in Melbourne over the past hour have been lined up on the tarmac waiting to disembark.
Travellers took to social media to express their frustration at the time it took for the evacuation procedure to take place in the terminal.