A man set fire to check-in desks at Milan Malpensa Airport, leading to evacuation and arrest.

In a dramatic turn of events on Wednesday, parts of Terminal 1 at Milan Malpensa Airport were evacuated following an incident involving a man who reportedly set fire to check-in desks and caused further damage with a hammer. This disturbance necessitated swift action by authorities and resulted in the temporary closure of sections of the terminal.

The Lombardy Airports Association described the culprit as a "lunatic" who ignited the check-in area. The association confirmed via social media that "the situation was quickly brought under control after the arrest of the madman who set fire to and destroyed several check-in counters."

According to Italian media reports, the suspect has been identified as a 28-year-old male from Mali. He is scheduled for a fast-track court hearing tomorrow.

The unsettling event transpired around 11 am when the individual allegedly poured flammable liquid over the check-in counters before igniting them. He also used a hammer to inflict damage on nearby walls and information screens, as reported by Corriere della Sera newspaper.

Timely intervention by Italian border force officers led to the suspect's restraint, while firefighters from the airport efficiently extinguished the flames, according to Varese News.

A video circulating on social media captures passengers hastily vacating the smoke-filled check-in area. The footage depicts an individual striking the suspect on his head with a fire extinguisher, subsequently incapacitating him. Additional bystanders then assisted in subduing him and discarding his hammer.

Though Euronews could not independently verify this footage, images shared by the Lombardy Airports Association depict hundreds of passengers gathered outside beside firefighting equipment, with blackened interiors visible within evacuated areas of the terminal.

An official from the provincial fire department assured local media that despite this upheaval, airport operations were not significantly disrupted in terms of air traffic.

This episode follows another recent incident last month at Milan Bergamo airport where flights faced delays due to an unfortunate accident involving an individual being drawn into an aircraft engine.-Akhbrna News