The train system at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport restarted operations Friday afternoon after being shut down for about an hour due to smoke in the tunnel, according to an airport official.
Train service was suspended at about 12:40 p.m. due to heavy smoke in the train tunnel and didn’t resume until about 1:35 p.m., according to airport spokeswoman Myrna White. The airport estimates about 2,000 people were affected.
Smoke detectors in the train tunnel and on the airport people-mover system triggered a fire alarm at about 12:30 p.m., according to White. Smoke was spotted in the tunnel between Concourse D and baggage claim and there was no visible fire, she said.
The train affected by smoke was taken out of service for Atlanta fire crews and train manufacturer Bombardier to investigate. The initial investigation shows an electric motor caused the smoke, but a more thorough investigation of the train car will be done at the Bombardier maintenance shed, according to the airport.
While the train service was down, passengers could use moving sidewalks and walkways between the terminal and concourses, according to White. Atlanta Fire dispatched medical bike teams to monitor the transportation mall and assist those who needed help, while smoke evacuation fans ran in the tunnel and atrium. There were no reports of injuries or passengers in distress, according to the airport.
James Shaw, a real estate office manager from Tampa, said he heard alarms sounding as soon as he got off his flight from Florida on Terminal B.
“It was very Atlanta,” said Shaw on Friday afternoon from Dallas. “Everyone just kept going about their business.”
He didn’t smell smoke until he got to the tram area.
“You could tell it was electrical from the smell,” said Shaw, who walked to Concourse T. At that point, a security officer told Shaw and other passengers to get out of the walk areas. About 10 minutes later, passengers were allowed to walk between concourses again, said Shaw.
By late afternoon, passengers reported everything was running well.
“Everything was great,” said Janet Vilt from Illinois. “I didn’t experience any problems.”
—Dispatch editor George Mathis and staff writer Bryan Cronan contributed to this report.
About the Author
