As if holiday travel couldn't get worse, the dreaded "suspicious package" just turned up at Miami International Airport. #BREAKING
— Chris Shepherd (@ChrisShepherd) December 24, 2012
Those familiar with holiday travel know it can be a real hassle, but perhaps no one understands that better today than travelers at Miami International Airport. After a ‘suspicious item’ was found …
Suspicious item reported at Miami Intl Airport. Police on scene. Live aerial signal on CH 3 from @WPLGLocal10.
— CNN Newsource (@CNNNewsource) December 24, 2012
#BREAKING Police responding to report of possible explosives found in a bag at Miami International Airport: Cops http://t.co/UITsGYjU
— NBC 6 South Florida (@nbc6) December 24, 2012
… the entire airport was reportedly evacuated.
https://twitter.com/Davidwpetrie/status/283247115164086272
https://twitter.com/yuli_usa/status/283247985595383808
Needless to say, travelers are frustrated and confused:
Whole #delta terminal evacuated at #miami #mia #airport, police everywhere. No idea what's going on pic.twitter.com/fzO063Tm
— Reena Roy (@reenaroy) December 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/EmJohanson/status/283244199388790784
They just evacuated the whole damn airport. What the hell!? #Miami #airport #international http://t.co/qbbATOYk
— Jigg (@_amirperry) December 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/whyyouMAD_dog/status/283244741817167872
Just got evacuated from Miami Intl Airport. Standing in parking garage. What is going on??
— Raya “Stay Home, Save Lives” Samet (@LibraryRaya) December 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/tybennett_23/status/283250397756411904
https://twitter.com/kimmy_mariee/status/283260691538927616
https://twitter.com/JoshyD_JetLife/status/283255904198082560
#tsa #mia Miami Airport just evacuated; I'm trying to get back to Brooklyn. Merry Friggin' Xmas.
— W'burg Salsa Orch (@theWSO) December 24, 2012
Security nightmare at Miami International airport. A hassle but glad that airport police are keeping us safe!
— Mira Otto (@msamet86) December 24, 2012
Twitchy will continue to monitor this story and update with any developments.
***
Update:
It appears that the ‘suspicious item’ that triggered the evacuation was, in fact, a lighter shaped like a grenade.
https://twitter.com/P2GN/status/283281466929070080
A lighter was mistaken for a grenade at Miami International Airport, prompting a security scare on Christmas Eve, said Miami-Dade Police.
The item was found in a bag in Concourse J. The upper floor of concourses J through H was shut down for about an hour, said Marc Henderson, the Media Relations Manager for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department.
Airport activity is now relatively back to normal. Better safe than sorry!
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