Was LAX evacuated due to a Burning Man private jet quarantine? Bomb squad presence explained

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the major international airport servicing the Californian city and its surrounding metropolitan region. Recently, a portion of the airport's ticketing area was evacuated after a suspicious object was discovered on Saturday evening, September 2.

According to the Los Angeles International Airport police force, passengers and airport employees notified the authorities about the item near the ticketing area, with no owners found. The item was initially deemed suspicious as a possible bomb threat when airport police officers arrived at the scene later that evening.

Issuing a public warning, the LAX police wrote on their official X:

“Traffic diverted to West Way due to Police activity at Tom Bradley Terminal in the upper level. Your patience is appreciated”.

However, rumors began to circulate that LAX had been evacuated because of a Burning Man private plane that had been quarantine, which is nothing more than a baseless rumor. According to CBS News, the temporary evacuation was caused by an inquiry into the aforementioned suspicious item that had nothing to do with Burning Man.

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Passengers and airport staff at LAX did not have to evacuate due to the presence of the Burning Man private jet

The object was eventually announced as safe by the bomb squad (Image via Getty Images)

Passengers and personnel at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) had an eventful Saturday evening after an unknown and suspicious object was discovered in the ticketing section of the Tom Bradley International Terminal. According to LAX police, the object that was discovered forced the authorities to clear the area of passengers and employees at around 9 pm. However, the nature of the suspected item was unclear at that moment.

Moreover, at around 11 pm, airport police officers requested assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department's bomb squad. When they came, they began an examination of the mystery thing. Fortunately, the squad established that the item was indeed safe and would not put anyone in any kind of danger.

When asked about briefly describing the situation by CBS News, LAX officials said:

"At approximately 9:30 pm, there was a suspicious item at Tom Bradley International Terminal. Airport Police responded and set up a perimeter along with a partial evacuation. LAPD Bomb Squad responded and determined that the item was deemed safe. Repopulation is in progress”.

However, the initial speculation for the airport's partial lockdown was thought to be a private jet that had come from the 2023 Burning Man festival. With several attendees stranded at the event site, rumors of various kinds emerged, including those of deadly diseases. Moreover, concerns arose that the private plane was transporting guests infected with the disease, but this rumor has since been proven completely incorrect.

Having said that, the identification of the object found at the LAX has still not been publicized. Furthermore, flight operations at the airport appeared to proceed as usual, according to FlightRadar24.com. An assessment of the flight statuses throughout the entire period revealed that most flights were on schedule, with just a small number of substantial delays and fewer cancelations.

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What is the Burning Man festival?

Burning Man is a week-long large-scale desert campout conducted yearly in Nevada, United States, focusing on art, community building, self-expression, and self-reliance. The event is held annually in Black Rock City, Nevada, the weekend before the Labour Day and concludes with the symbolic burning of a 40-foot wooden effigy known as the Man.

According to the festival's website, it is a global event where artists, creators, and community organizers interact to create art and events. The festival, which attracts an estimated 70,000 visitors each year, began in San Francisco in 1986 before relocating to Nevada in 1991.