Small fire forces evacuation of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport terminal

Passengers forced to wait outside Terminal 1

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. ā€“ A terminal at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport was evacuated Thursday morning because of a small fire.

The fire was reported in a cleaning closet in Terminal 1.

Hundreds of passengers were forced to wait outside the terminal or on the tarmac if they were past security.

"A fire alarm started going off and, you know, everybody stood there for 20 minutes, hoping it was just a drill," Neha Shah said.

Shah, who was trying to get to a family reunion, said an announcement on the loudspeaker instructed passengers to wait outside because of an emergency.

"They didn't tell us what the emergency was," she said.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire.

No injuries were reported, and passengers were eventually allowed back inside.

"I appreciate the security. I definitely do," Lisa Robinson said. "I'm traveling with my girls, and I want to make sure we get there safely."

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About the Authors:

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.