An explosion in a shed at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has prompted an evacuation, according to multiple sources including Fox News.
A source on the ground in Atlanta tells us she hears helicopters overhead.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. There Are No Reported Injuries.
The explosion took place at Gate D21, but sources report that there are no recorded injuries:
GEORGIA: UPDATE – NO INJURIES AFTER EXPLOSION AT ATLANTA AIRPORT CONCOURSE D. FBI INVESTIGATING. #911BUFF
— 911 Operator (@911BUFF) June 11, 2013
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Concourse D was evacuated (see photo above) and some flights were grounded for an extended period of time, but full power has recently been restored at the airport, and business has resumed as usual:
UPDATE: Full power has been restored and all operations have resumed at @atlanta_airport after earlier small explosion in mechanical shed.
— NewsBreaker (@NewsBreaker) June 11, 2013
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According to CNN, passengers have since returned to Concourse D and described the situation there as “normal.”
2. The Explosion Was a Mechanical Error
Unlike the threat around the Georgia Capitol building (more on that below), this does not appear to be a motivated threat against the public. Hartsfield-Jackson Airport confirmed that the explosion was a mere mechanical error:
There was a small electrical explosion at 8:40am near gate D21. Passengers were evacuated but have returned. No injuries reported.
— Atlanta Airport (@Atlanta_Airport) June 11, 2013
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Concourse D was left without power and A/C after the explosion, rendering it unsuitable for those flying out of it. But as reported above, the problem was dealt with in reasonable time and the concourse is back running at normal speed.
3. There Is Also a Bomb Threat Around the Georgia State Capitol
The Judicial Building, Health building and Coverdell Legislative office building have been evacuated, reports ajc.com.
A = The Judicial Building, housing the attorney general and state supreme court.
B = The Coverdell Legislative Office Building, which houses many state lawmakers and several media outlets, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
C = The “health building,” which also houses non-health agencies including (but not limited to) the Department of Education and the Georgia Building Authority.
Bomb-sniffing dogs were sent in to sweep the buildings after they were evacuated:
Bomb sniffing dogs have entered judicial bldg after it was evacuated due to him threat. Bldg across from Capitol. #news
— jaye watson (@jayewatson) June 11, 2013
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UPDATE – 12:16 p.m.:: Via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, law enforcement officials have issued an “all clear” for the entire area around the Capitol.
UPDATE – 11:25 a.m.: According to reporter Claire Simms, the Judicial Building has been given an “all clear” from authorites:
State #Capitol Police have issued an “All Clear” for 40 Capitol Square after #bombthreat.
— Claire Simms (@Claire_Simms) June 11, 2013
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4. Despite Early Reports, There Was Only One Threat Near the Capitol.
At first, ostensibly since multiple buildings were being evacuated, media outlets reported that there were multiple bomb threats near the Capitol:
Two bomb threats near the #Georgia state capitol. One at building home to Attorney General and state Supreme Court. #ATL #breaking
— Edgar Zúñiga Jr. (@edgarzuniga) June 11, 2013
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But those reports have since been repudiated. Per WSB-TV, a local station in Atlanta, the Public Safety Department confirmed that only one threat was issued:
UPDATE from Public Safety Dept: Only 1 threat called in near Capitol. Capitol police now sweeping buildings in the area.
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) June 11, 2013
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5. There Was Another Airport Evacuation in Virginia Today.
Richmond Airport was evacuated at around the same time. The Richmond evacuation, unlike the one in Atlanta, was not the result of a mechanical error, but rather the result of a called-in bomb threat:
BREAKING NEWS! VIRGINIA: RICHMOND AIRPORT EVACUATED AFTER PHONE THREAT. GEORGIA: CONFIRMED EXPLOSION AT ATLANTA AIRPORT. #911BUFF
— 911 Operator (@911BUFF) June 11, 2013
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The airport was swept by authorities, who cleared its safety and re-opened it to the public:
Update: #RIC terminal, including airline desks and security screening, re-opened to the public. #RICevac
— Richmond Airport RIC (@Flack4RIC) June 11, 2013
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The two airport evacuations don’t appear to be connected (since the one in Atlanta was not a bomb threat), but it’s not clear whether or not the Richmond threat was in any way related to the Georgia Capitol threat or today’s later evacuation at Princeton University.