Thousands of passengers evacuated from Birmingham Airport after fire alarm

A fire alarm caused thousands of passengers to be evacuated from Birmingham Airport this afternoon.

Flights have been delayed for hours after the alarm rang in the departure lounge just after 2pm.

Holidaymakers were told to leave the building via emergency exits just after 2pm.

Fire crews rushed to the airport after reports of smoke coming from a bar in the main terminal.

However, officials who attended the scene confirmed there was no fire at the airport.

A spokesperson said: ‘Passengers were evacuated, which is normal procedure.’

Some travellers were made to wait outside the building, while others were kept on a plane that had just landed.

Passengers took to social media to voice their concerns and frustration.

Emm tweeted: ‘Just about to leave and the fire alarm goes off at Birmingham airport evacuating the whole building, great start to the holiday.’

Alison Pritchard wrote: ‘Just what you want at the start of your holiday; being evacuated from Birmingham Airport before you’ve even sipped your first free wine from your first ever ‘lounge’ experience.’

Nicole Hill said: ‘I am flying to Amsterdam today and the fire alarm has gone off in Birmingham airport and we have all been told to evacuate.’

Tony Shanahan tweeted: ‘Fire at Birmingham Airport Sitting on airplane waiting to disembark.’

Matty Leigh wrote: ‘Stuck on our plane for the time being whilst Birmingham Airport is sorting out its evacuation.

‘Good job the guys at Easy Jet know a hot plane gets warm so the stuck the AC back on and the crew are keeping us up to date on what’s next.’

Sophie Panton, who was travelling to Dalaman, Turkey, with her boyfriend, tweeted: ‘After nearly an hour of not being told what’s happening, not being let out of emergency exits and sitting on the Tarmac in the heat we’re finally going back into Birmingham Airport.

‘Haven’t been told what’s happened of if our plane will be delayed but at least we’re inside.’

Some flights have been delayed by more than two and a half hours according to passengers stranded at the airport.