LA Airport Shuts Down on Security Scares

[NewHampshireDem]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20040904/ts_nm/security_airport_dc

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Los Angeles International Airport was shut down for more than four hours on Saturday after a reported security breach but federal officials said no terrorism was suspected.


Officials evacuated four terminals on Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest travel holidays of the year, after a person bypassed security, according to airport and federal officials.


A separate incident at the airport's international terminal involved a flashlight in a bag that blew up a screener's hand, according to a Department of Homeland Security official in Washington.


"At this time we do not believe that there is any terrorism nexus related to these incidents," the official said on condition of anonymity.


The terminals were evacuated at around 7:30 a.m. (10:30 a.m. EDT) and operations were soon expected to return to normal after the airport was shut down for more than four hours.

[woo me with science]

1. very strange...

no terrorism, but a flashlight in a bag blew up a screener's hand?

what kind of flashlight was this????

[napi21]

2. Boy, that was my question too! What makes a flashlight explode?

I've heard of batteries exploding under certain conditions, but it's usually when they're stored for a very long time in the heat.

[salvorhardin]

3. Overcharging batteries can make them go boom too

I would think, although I'm not sure, that running batteries through x-ray devices could cause them to overheat and ultimately explode.

[napi21]

4. Maybe, but why wouldn't we hear this all the time if that was true?

You're right about the overcharging, and I sure odn't know what kind of flashlight this might have been. HOwever, if it was the x-ray equipment that caused this, why wouldn't you hear this happening all the time? Why wouldn't "battery operated items" be banned from flights? Hmmmm

[salvorhardin]

5. Sorry I should have clarified

I was talking about already damaged baterries being run through x-ray equipment. However, I have to acknowledge I'm talking out of my arse here.

[VolcanoJen]

6. Dupe... locking

Please continue discussion within the original LBN thread on this topic, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x801905

Thanks!

VolcanoJen
DU Moderator