Unattended Box Leads to Scare at Minnesota Airport

Terminal cleared for two hours

A Minnesota airport terminal was partially cleared for two hours on Friday after a passenger left a box containing a fuel tank unattended when it was refused clearance as checked baggage by security officials, an airport spokesman said.

Authorities cleared the Terminal 2 ticketing lobby at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, closed an access road and delayed a dozen flights, as a police bomb squad investigated the box, airport spokesman Patrick Hogan said.

The Southwest Airlines passenger, a woman, went to the ticket counter in the terminal at about 6:00 a.m. Central Time (1200 GMT) and tried to check in the box which had pipes attached, Hogan said.