9 Injured After Escalator Catches Fire At New York-JFK Airport

Terminal 8’s operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York have resumed after nearly a thousand passengers had an eventful morning on Wednesday. A small fire broke out in the terminal, causing smoke to fill the air, people to panic, and nine injuries.

Hundreds of passengers were evacuated from the terminal and gathered outside on the tarmac to be transported to another area. Officials are investigating what may have caused the fire.

Details of the incident

According to NBC 4 New York, the New York Fire Department (FDNY) responded to reports of smoke around 07:00, which came from an escalator that had caught fire. It reportedly happened near Concourse C of the terminal, which mainly houses American Airlines flights.

Photo: Popova Valeriya | Shutterstock

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As black smoke engulfed the concourse, chaos ensued, according to traveler Elena Delgado, who spoke to CBS News New York.

“People started gasping, and people started kind of freaking out around themselves, because they saw a huge black gulp of smoke coming toward them. For about 20 minutes, we were all still in the airport. People were trying to exit, and people who work in the airport were telling us not to go through the exit gates and to wait around.”

“A good amount of smoke”

Delgado was FaceTiming her father, Felix, at the time. He was reportedly waiting for her but remained on the video call to witness the situation unfolding. He also recounted the incident to CBS News New York.

“I saw smoke. I saw a good amount of smoke from top to bottom, and it was moving quickly. The people who work for the airport were scrambling, but they weren’t giving directions.”

Around 960 people in the immediate area of the escalator had to be evacuated and were transported by bus away from the scene. Video from an eyewitness on social media shows several passengers outside of the building, along with first responders.

Flight impacts

According to officials, nine people were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. According to FlightAware, JFK had more than 250 delays as of 15:00 on Wednesday. The fire is not likely to have caused all the delays, but it could have accounted for some. One passenger, who appeared to be onboard an American Boeing 737 MAX 8, posted a video on X showing emergency vehicles driving up to the terminal.

“Something is happening in #JFK airport,” they explained. “We are not allowed to depart.”

About an hour after reports of the fire, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), alerted passengers that “flight operations at Terminal 8” were impacted, and encouraged travelers to check with their airline to determine the status of their flight. The authority later confirmed that operations at the terminal resumed, but FDNY was still on the scene as of 10:20. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

JFK recorded 10 cancelations around 15:00 on Wednesday. American had three, while Delta Air Lines had two. Republic Airways, which operates regional flights for both airlines, had five.

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