London, UK — 24 September 2025 — A small fire in the Escape Lounge at London Stansted Airport early this morning sparked a partial evacuation, forced the temporary closure of the main security area, and led to significant delays for departing flights.
What Happened
At approximately 3:30 am, airport staff reported the outbreak of a “small fire” within the Escape Lounge, located in the departures side of the terminal. Airport Fire Service responded promptly and extinguished the fire, but considerable smoke generated in the lounge forced the evacuation of the immediate area as a precaution. As smoke spread, the airport closed off access to key internal pathways and halted entry to security screening.
Impact & Delays
Passengers scheduled for early-morning flights were unable to pass through security, resulting in backlog in the terminal. Departures were suspended temporarily. Though flights were not immediately cancelled en masse, many were delayed until after operations in the security zones could safely resume. According to a spokesperson for the airport:
“There was a small fire in our Escape Lounge. It was quickly extinguished by the Airport Fire Service and there are no reports of any injuries to passengers.”
“As a significant amount of smoke continued to be generated, the immediate area was evacuated. Passengers were stopped from entering security. This was a precaution to protect their health and safety.”
Travel-operators and airlines reported knock-on effects: passengers missing connections, long queues forming outside the closed security zones, and general confusion over when normal processing would resume.
Quotes from Affected Parties
One traveller told reporters:
“We were told to leave the lounge and wait in the main hall, but nobody knew exactly how long security would be closed. Some flights showed as delayed, others still listed on time — but no clear guidance was coming.”
From the airport authority:
“Health and safety will always be our number one priority and we thank passengers for their understanding. A further update will be provided as soon as possible.”
What Is Confirmed vs. What Is Alleged
Confirmed: the fire occurred; it was small; it has been extinguished; no injuries. The Escape Lounge was evacuated; security access was suspended temporarily.
Alleged / Unclear: precise impact on each airline’s schedule; whether any aircraft missed departure slots entirely; whether any compensation will be due. The cause of the fire is not yet confirmed.
What Comes Next
Airport authorities have launched an internal review into the incident and will inspect safety protocols in the Escape Lounge and adjacent areas. Airlines are working to re-route or reschedule affected passengers and issue updated flight times. Passengers are being advised to check with their airlines directly and monitor airport announcements before heading to the terminal.
Regulatory agencies may also examine whether lounge safety systems (smoke detection, fire suppression, evacuation pathways) met expected standards, particularly in a busy airport context.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!