Smoke at Houston airport triggers alarm, sprinkler system

A spokesman for Bush Intercontinental Airport says a sprinkler system was activated when charging batteries began to overheat and sent smoke into a terminal.

Spokesman Bill Begley says the fire alarm in Terminal E was sounded just before 1 a.m. Friday.

Houston police earlier said a small fire occurred in the terminal but Begley says there were no flames. He says the batteries, which were charging in a utility closet, just produced smoke.

There was some disruption because a cleaning crew needed time to clean up the water from the sprinklers.

Police told the Houston Chronicle that flights could be disrupted, but Begley says the incident did not result in any delays.

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Information from: Houston Chronicle, http://www.houstonchronicle.com