# LAX Shut Down--What's going on? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 4, 2004, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lax-shut-down-whats-going-on/263122 "2004-09-04T16:30:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lax-shut-down-whats-going-on/263122/1 "2004-09-04T16:30:10Z")
Breaking news so new it’s not on websites yet–Los Angeles airport has been shut down and the terminals evacuated due to two ‘security incidents’ in the main Tom Bradley concourse. One was ‘suspicious person at security point’ (everybody looks shifty around there), but the second was a person with a flashlight with corroded batteries that supposedly exploded and wounded several people. WTF?? 😕 I believe this is the same airport where that crazy Egyptian shot two people near the El Al counter a couple of July 4ths ago. Hope everything’s OK. Between this airport being shut down and Florida being largely closed to vacationers, this Labor Day Weekend is getting pretty sucky. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lax-shut-down-whats-going-on/263122/2 "2004-09-04T17:36:50Z")
The first one was probably some fool who bypassed checkpoints again. As to the second, it’s not unusual for corroded batteries to explode. Question is, why have the flashlight in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lax-shut-down-whats-going-on/263122/3 "2004-09-04T18:00:47Z")
> [@Jeff Olsen](#): > > The first one was probably some fool who bypassed checkpoints again. > > As to the second, it’s not unusual for corroded batteries to explode. Question is, why have the flashlight in the first place? Maybe they were on their way to Florida and they thought the lights might be out when they get here? :dubious: This is a bit off topic but I heard a Russian scientist predicted an earthquake for the San Diego area by Monday. Apparently he’s correctly predicted two other quakes in other areas of the world. So there’s another reason not to go to California this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lax-shut-down-whats-going-on/263122/4 "2004-09-04T18:12:11Z")
I frequently carry a flashlight when I fly. I’m an astronomer. I don’t leave for an observing run without my Maglight. ---
**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lax-shut-down-whats-going-on/263122/5 "2004-09-04T18:20:18Z")
> [@Podkayne](#): > > I frequently carry a flashlight when I fly. I’m an astronomer. I don’t leave for an observing run without my Maglight. Does it really brighten up the other planets that much? Must be a hell of a Maglite! Energizer or Duracell? ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lax-shut-down-whats-going-on/263122/6 "2004-09-04T18:23:35Z")
[http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/09/04/lax.incident/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/09/04/lax.incident/index.html) > [@](#): > > The Department of Homeland Security had a different account. > > The agency said that an explosive detection system machine got a positive reading from a corroded battery in a flashlight. > > DHS reported that it was not aware of any explosion or injuries. > > The area was evacuated as a precaution. > > A LAPD bomb squad remains on the scene. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lax-shut-down-whats-going-on/263122/7 "2004-09-04T20:49:16Z")
A positive reading from a battery? Yet another reason to boycott the airlines. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lax-shut-down-whats-going-on/263122/8 "2004-09-04T21:07:35Z")
When all the airlines are boycotted because of terrorists, only terrorists will go on airlines.