Polio vaccine spill on KLM jet sparks Glasgow airport drama as passengers are evacuated while emergency services make area safe
- The international area of Glasgow Airport was cleared of passengers
- At least 20 firefighters checked a suspicious package on a KLM plane
- Later the airline confirmed it was a package of dry ice that started to leak
By Rory Tingle For Mailonline
Published: 07:25 EDT, 4 October 2019 | Updated: 16:24 EDT, 4 October 2019
A polio vaccine spill on a KLM jet sparked an evacuation of park of Glasgow airport today as the fire brigade mopped up the leak.
At least 20 fire service personnel dealt with the package along with the police and ambulance services.
People in the international area of the airport were cleared out by police and the jet – which had arrived from Amsterdam – was cordoned off.
The M8 exit slip road leading to the transport hub was also been closed off, Traffic Scotland said.
A KLM plane is being searched at Glasgow Airport after a suspicious package was found on board
The KLM jet had arrived in Glasgow from Amsterdam this morning when firefighters rushed to investigate it
KLM said: ‘On board KL1473, operating between Amsterdam and Glasgow, a package packed in dry ice started to leak.
‘The package contained glass tubes with vaccines. These tubes have remained intact with only the cooling around them starting to leak. As a precaution, the fire brigade cordoned off the immediate vicinity of the aircraft.
‘Passengers were never in danger but were taken off board as a precaution. The incident was stood down at 13.30 after the package was declared safe by emergency services.’
A spokesman for the airport said: ‘At approximately 10am, the airport fire service attended an arriving KLM flight in response to concerns raised over a piece of cargo.
‘Enquiries are ongoing to determine the content of the package and the aircraft has been cordoned off.’
Police Scotland said: ‘Police called around 11.15am on Friday morning to a report of a spillage from cargo on board a plane at Glasgow Airport.
‘We are in attendance and the package is being examined. An exclusion zone has been put in place as a precaution and enquiries are continuing.’
KLM said: ‘On board KL1473, operating between Amsterdam and Glasgow, a package packed in dry ice started to leak’
A spokesman for the airport said: ‘At approximately 10am, the airport fire service attended an arriving KLM flight in response to concerns raised over a piece of cargo’
An undated aerial view of the airport, which is one of the largest in Scotland alongside Edinburgh and Aberdeen
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