Fire Alarm Causes Evacuation of BWI Traffic Control Tower

May 24, 2016
Flights in and out of the airport were put in holding patterns for a time.

Flights in and out of Baltimore have resumed after inbound flights were in a holding pattern over BWI Airport Tuesday following the evacuation of the traffic control tower.

Flights in and out of Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport resumFlighed around 7 a.m. after the BWI Fire and Resuce Department gave "the all clear for FAA personnel to return to the Tower," according to the airport's Twitter account.

Around 6:45 a.m., airport officials said the FAA Tower was being evacuated following a fire alarm and that "operations will be delayed pending resolution."

The BWI Fire and Rescue Department responded and was investigating.

Airport spokesman Jonathan Dean told the Associated Press that the alarm sounded around 6:45 a.m. and that firefighters didn't find smoke or fire.

Dean didn't know how many flights were delayed, but he says the overall effect was minor.

A man traveling from Nashville to Baltimore said his Southwest Airlines flight told The Sun in an email around 7:10 a.m. that the plane was sitting "on ground until situation is resolved and we are allowed to take off."

This story will be updated.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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