UPDATED 4:15pm 12/06/12
The “D” concourse at Pittsburgh International Airport was closed for a few hours this morning as the Allegheny County bomb squad and county fire marshal investigated a suspicious package.
Airport spokesperson Joann Jenny said the Airport Authority received an emergency call at 7:30 Thursday morning that there was smoke around gate D80.
When crews went to investigate they tracked the smoke to a plumbing access panel in a nearby men’s bathroom. Jenny said a cigarette butt had apparently caught on fire some paper towels, a satchel, and other debris that had been stashed in the area.
While the bomb squad investigated, the D concourse was closed and Delta and American Airlines passengers and flights were sent to the A concourse.
Jenny said investigators believe someone was habitually smoking in the rest room because they found other butts behind the access panel. The charred satchel found behind the panel contained a rolled up sleeping mat.
After the package was cleared, operations were allowed to return to normal.
