JFK Airport escalator fire leads to evacuations in Terminal 8; minor injuries reported

An escalator fire at JFK Airport led to a smoky terminal and nearly 1,000 passengers being evacuated early Wednesday morning, officials said.

The FDNY said it responded to a report of smoke at JFK's Terminal 8 just after 7 a.m. The source of the smoke turned out to be an escalator that caught fire, according to the FDNY. The fire department remained at the scene for much of the morning.

Nearly 1,000 people in the immediate area of the escalator in Concourse C of Terminal 8 had to be evacuated and bused to another area of the terminal, the Port Authority said. Photos and video from eyewitnesses showed passengers gathered outside on the tarmac.

Nine people were examined after inhaling smoke, according to officials, four of whom were taken to the hospital. All were taken to recover.

Operations in the terminal resumed later in the morning, the Port Authority said. The cause of the fire was under investigation. JFK Airport said flight operations in the terminal were impacted and recommended passengers check with their airline before heading to the airport.

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Airlines including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas fly out of Terminal 8. A spokesperson for American Airlines told NBC New York that three of their flights were canceled as a result of the terminal evacuation.