ORLANDO, Fla. – A ground stop was lifted not long after it was issued on Sunday afternoon at Orlando International Airport due to a sprinkler head that activated inside the tower due to the cold weather, airport officials said.
A fire alarm at the Orlando International Airport air traffic control tower prompted a brief evacuation, but officials said the incident was caused by a cold‑weather sprinkler activation rather than a fire.
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Airport Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting crews responded around 3:30 p.m. after the alarm signaled water flow inside the tower. Out of caution, air traffic control staff evacuated while firefighters investigated.
ARFF crews quickly determined that a sprinkler head had activated due to cold temperatures, officials said. No fire or hazards were found aside from the water flow.
ATC staff were cleared to return to the tower after a short time. During the evacuation, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary ground stop, which has since been lifted.
Airport officials said flight operations are gradually returning to normal.