Travelers return to Wellington airport terminal after evacuation due to small fire

There are some delays, but things are returning to normal at Wellington Airport after a small fire.

“At approximately 8.30am this morning, a small fire was detected in the main terminal. All passengers and stakeholders from the airport have been safely evacuated and the New Zealand Fire Service is on site and has extinguished the fire, “the airport said in a statement.

An unreliable lamp is suspected to be the cause of the smoke that led to an evacuation just after 8:30 a.m., RNZ reported.

The hundreds of passengers and personnel who were evacuated are now back inside the building.

A hopeful traveler heading to Auckland Louise Woolhouse said her plane would be delayed, but she didn’t mind waiting outside with everyone else.

“There are probably a couple hundred people hanging out, but people seem to be quite patient, no one seems too upset or nervous.”

Freelance airport deliveryman Riyan Basson said he was upstairs and smoke was coming from the ground floor.

When staff were allowed to re-enter, people began clapping and gathering up their belongings.