A man has been arrested after a fire broke out at check-in desks in Milan's Malpensa Airport, forcing the evacuation of parts of Terminal 1. The incident occurred at around 11am local time when the man, reportedly armed with a hammer, set fire to a rubbish bin and smashed the screens between two check-in desks.
Footage shared on social media showed flames engulfing numerous desks as passengers moved away from the scene. Black smoke was seen billowing from the bin, and eyewitnesses described the atmosphere as chaotic, with the air said to be unbreathable. A staff member intervened in the incident and was assisted by members of the public, according to local reports.
Emergency services, including firefighters and police, responded to the scene. The fire was extinguished, and the affected area was cordoned off. Police took an individual into custody shortly afterwards, and the Airport Association for the Lombardi Region confirmed that a man had been arrested, although a motive has not yet been established.
In a statement on X, a spokesperson said: "The situation was quickly brought under control after the arrest of a man who set fire and destroyed some check-in counters." The statement added that due to the closure of some areas and evacuation of premises, there could be possible delays and cancellations for departures from Malpensa's Terminal 1.
Local media reported no injuries and said there was no significant disruption to air traffic. The incident is understood to have begun when emergency services responded to reports of an "agitated" man near the terminal.
