Milan’s Malpensa Airport was partially evacuated on Wednesday after a man set fire to check-in desks and caused damage with a hammer inside the busy Terminal 1.
The incident occurred at around 11:00 am local time, when the suspect, identified by Italian media as a 28 year old man from Mali, doused several counters with flammable liquid before setting them alight. He then began striking nearby walls and information screens with a hammer, according to Corriere della Sera.
Fire and chaos in departures hall
Video footage shared on social media shows black smoke rising from a check-in desk as passengers flee the scene. In the footage, the man can be seen hitting a wall of digital screens before being confronted by a passenger who struck him on the head with a fire extinguisher. Several other people then helped restrain the suspect and disarm him, throwing away what appeared to be a hammer.
Witnesses described scenes of panic. Fabiola Gomes, who filmed one of the videos, told the BBC she was waiting to collect a relative when she suddenly saw “fire everywhere” and a “boy with a hammer” striking the counter. She said she was “very scared” as travellers rushed to escape the smoke filled area.
🚨 #BREAKING This morning at @MiAirports #MXP, an enraged passenger attacked staff with a hammer and set trash bins on fire at Terminal 1.
— Aviation News Israel (@AviationNewsIL) August 20, 2025
The suspect was quickly arrested. Minor delays expected.@OnDisasters#Milan #Malpensa #Airport#TravelNews #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/yTQg3pUvUP
Arrest and evacuation
The Lombardy Airports Association confirmed that the man had been arrested and that the situation was quickly brought under control. In a statement on X, it said the suspect had “set fire to and destroyed several check-in counters” before being detained.
Airport firefighters swiftly tackled the blaze, but smoke forced authorities to evacuate part of Terminal 1 as a precaution. Photographs shared on social media show hundreds of passengers waiting outside the terminal building as fire crews worked inside the damaged check-in hall.
A spokesperson for the provincial fire department told local media that there had been no injuries and that airport operations continued without significant disruption to air traffic, although some flights experienced delays.
La situazione è tornata subito sotto controllo dopo l'arresto del folle che ha dato fuoco e distrutto alcuni banchi check in.
— Associazione Aeroporti Lombardi ✈️ (@aptlombardi) August 20, 2025
Causa chiusura alcune zone ed evacuazione locali, possibili ritardi e cancellazioni in partenza da #Malpensa T1#emergenza #milano #aeroporto #avgeek pic.twitter.com/07ScRk9lf1
Court appearance expected
The suspect is expected to appear in court in the coming days in a fast track hearing. His motive remains unclear.
Italian media reports say that the man was restrained with the help of border force officers, who intervened alongside members of the public.
#Malpensa. La "risorsa" che ha scatenato il terrore gode di una forma di protezione concessa a chi NON soddisfa i criteri per essere riconosciuto come rifugiato, ma che, se rimpatriato, "rischierebbe" di subire un danno. Che tragica barzelletta… #Invasione #Remigration pic.twitter.com/m989VpNNuS
— Max Ferrari (@MaxFerrari) August 20, 2025
Recent incidents
The event comes just a month after Milan Bergamo Airport, the city’s other major airport, saw significant disruption when a man died after being pulled into the engine of a plane.
Malpensa, which is one of Italy’s busiest international gateways, handles millions of passengers each year and is a key hub for both leisure and business travel across Europe. The incident highlights once more the challenges of ensuring airport security in high traffic environments.
