CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A fire at Charlotte Douglas International Airport Wednesday afternoon disrupted passengers and caused a temporary closure of the airport's food court and atrium.
Around 2 p.m., the fire started in a restaurant kitchen fire, airport officials said. Smoke from the fire could be seen in photos and videos posted by passengers on social media.
The Charlotte Fire Department confirmed a fire at the Burger King was the cause of the alarm. About a thousand passengers were removed from the area into either the adjacent concourses or outside. Other parts of the airport remained open during the firefighting efforts.
By 4 p.m., the airport was being fully reopened and passengers, some of whom had to wait outside before checking in for departing flights, were allowed to enter the airport.
Arrivals and departures from Charlotte Douglas continued as scheduled, according to the airport. Passengers were advised to check with their airlines and expect delays.
Multiple people shared photos and videos on Twitter of smoke rising from the airport terminal.
"Just landed at #Charlotte #CLT only to see this craziness!" tweeted JD Feuerstein, showing a video of smoke pouring from the airport.
On Thursday, Charlotte Fire Department determined the cause of the fire was accidental, originating in the restaurant's hood system.
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