Dallas Love Field fire alarm triggers terminal evacuation

DALLAS - The terminal was evacuated at Dallas Love Field on Tuesday afternoon because of a fire alarm. 

Although firefighters found no smoke or flames, the incident may cause some delays for travelers throughout the evening.

Love Field Evacuated

What we know:

Dallas Fire-Rescue said firefighters responded to a fire alarm triggered at the airport around 2:10 p.m. The initial report mentioned "overheating equipment."

When the firefighters arrived, they discovered the alarm was triggered by "an unspecified malfunction within an HVAC unit." However, they checked out the unit and found no evidence of a fire or smoke.

Love Field officials confirmed the airport terminal was evacuated as a precaution. 

Images from SKY 4 showed no visible signs of a fire, but a large crowd of people could be seen waiting outside for the "all clear." 

People were allowed back inside the building, and the TSA screening queue reopened around 3 p.m., according to airport officials.

The cause of the alarm is still under investigation.

What they're saying:

Amy Lynn Dueye from Massachusetts said she had to wait about an hour on a plane after traveling for more than eight hours.

"We were basically on the plane. And then we were supposed to get off the plane, but then the pilot said we would have to wait a little bit for us to come off because they had to evacuate the airport and then the workers also had to go outside of security. So, we had to wait in there for almost an hour and 15 minutes," she said.

Dueye said overall she felt the airport handled the evacuation well, and people stayed calm. 

She is now looking forward to enjoying the mild weather in North Texas for her vacation.

Flight Delays

Dig deeper:

Although firefighters found no danger at the airport, the incident may lead to some travel delays.

The Federal Aviation Administration also listed a ground stop at Love Field through 4 p.m. due to "other."

"Passengers may experience delays during security screening, so please be patient. Thank you for your understanding," the airport announced on social media.