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DENVER » Denver airport officials say a police bomb squad has determined that suspicious packages found in the main terminal do not pose a threat.
The top two levels of the west side of the terminal were evacuated after Transportation Security Administration employees reported the packages near an airline check-in counter this afternoon.
The evacuation included baggage claim and passenger pickup, as well as the ticket counters for American, Aero Mexico, Air Canada, Lufthansa and British Airways.
The Obama administration stepped up security at major transit hubs across the country after today’s airport and subway bombings in Brussels, Belgium.
The evacuation at DIA, which lasted about 2 ½ hours, is expected to cause some flight delays.
likely a false alarm but we have to be extra cautious
or extra paranoid.
Here’s a “cut and paste” from the Denver Post
No threat was found at Denver International Airport after an evacuation of a section of the main terminal because of potentially suspicious packages.
Denver police cleared a part of the main terminal on the west side between doors 600 and 610 on level six and 500 to 510 on level five, according to an airport tweet. Level five is the bag claim and passenger pickup level, and level six is for passenger dropoff and check-in.
The terminal will be open to the public shortly.
Airport officials said “several packages”were screened to determine the validity of the threat that was originally reported by TSA.
Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said the alert was “strong enough” to prompt an evacuation and full response.
Airport officials did not make any ties or connections to the terrorist attacks in Brussels.
“We are just looking at this particular incident,” officials said. “We would respond like this on any day.”
Travelers are being asked to check with their airlines to see if their flight has been delayed because of the incident.
Affected ticket counters include: American Airlines, Aero Mexico, Air Canada, Lufthansa and British Airways. Flights are continuing, the airport said, although delays are possible.
“As a precaution, TSA is deploying additional security to major U.S. airports and at various rail and transit stations,” said a tweet from Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.
Vehicle traffic was not being allowed on the west side of the terminal, officials said. The east side of the terminal remains open to passengers.
Level five baggage claim and the west side is currently closed. Airlines are working to coordinate baggage delivery to the east side.
Ryan Hitchler is in concourse C of the airport and said there was “no notice whatsoever” of the disturbance in that area. His flight is on time, he said.
Major cities across the nation have been on heightened alert Tuesday in the wake of terrorist attacks in Brussels.
The Denver airport said earlier it was not instructed by the Transportation Security Administration or the Department of Homeland Security to increase any security measures after the Brussels attacks that left dozens dead.
This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.