Auckland International Airport baggage hall evacuated after fire alarm

A fire alarm in the baggage hall of the international terminal of Auckland Airport has caused delays for new arrivals after 50 people were evacuated. An Auckland Airport spokesperson said the fire alarm sensor was activated at 12.55pm on Wednesday. Passengers were evacuated from the baggage hall for about five minutes while investigators went in. They discovered it was a false alarm. “Unfortunately, this created some congestion for arriving passengers in the Customs area for a short period, with a number of flights arriving at the terminal within a short timeframe,” the spokesperson said. “Safety always comes first at Auckland Airport and all fire alarms are investigated as a matter of priority. “But we appreciate delays can be frustrating and we apologise to any impacted customers.” Stuff writer Brook Sabin was flying back to New Zealand and got caught up in the delay. "Long queues formed at the Smart Gates as Customs shut down all processing,” he said. “The queues are starting to move now, but slowly,” he said about 1.20pm.<br/>