Heathrow Terminal 4 Evacuated After CS Gas Incident
On Monday evening, Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4 turned into an unexpected scene of disruption and confusion after reports of a possible hazardous material forced a large evacuation. Hundreds of passengers were suddenly told to leave the terminal around 5 p.m. local time, with many left waiting outside for hours before being allowed back in just after 8 p.m.
Emergency services were quickly called in. Firefighters, police, and paramedics all attended, and medical teams treated about 20 people on the spot for irritation to their eyes and throats. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured, and most were discharged at the scene. One individual was taken to hospital as a precaution.
The cause of the alarm was later traced back to a canister of CS spray — commonly referred to as tear gas — which was found inside the terminal. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the substance likely triggered the reactions that some passengers and staff experienced. A 57-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing the CS spray and causing a public nuisance. He remains in custody as the investigation continues. Importantly, authorities have stressed that this incident is not being treated as terrorism-related.
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The evacuation created a tense and uncertain atmosphere for travelers, but disruption to flights was minimal. Many passengers expressed frustration about the long wait and the confusion, though the airport later apologized for the inconvenience and thanked people for their patience.
What’s especially interesting is that experts have suggested that what unfolded may not have been caused only by the gas itself. Some believe that part of the mass reaction could have been what’s called “mass psychogenic illness.” This is when a group of people, under stress and anxiety, begin to feel real physical symptoms — headaches, dizziness, or difficulty breathing — even though no toxic substance is present in the environment. These kinds of events, while rare, have been documented before in crowded places such as schools, concerts, and even other airports.
At Heathrow, the initial fear of a hazardous substance, combined with the stress of an evacuation, may have amplified the situation. Still, the discovery of an actual CS spray canister complicates the picture. Police are continuing their work to understand exactly how the canister was brought into the terminal and what the suspect’s intentions may have been.
For passengers who were caught in the middle of it, the incident was unsettling, but life at the airport quickly moved back to normal. Flights resumed, check-ins reopened, and by late evening Terminal 4 was operating again. Authorities remain cautious, but they’ve reassured the public that there is no wider threat.
In the end, this was a stark reminder of how quickly an ordinary travel day can change, how safety concerns are taken very seriously at airports, and how both human psychology and physical hazards can sometimes collide in unexpected ways.
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