Tear gas closes London City Airport as two in hospital and dozens treated by medics after canister grounds flights
Boxing champ David Haye was caught up in the chaos and described how 'everyone started coughing uncontrollably'
DOZENS of passengers have been treated by medics and two patients rushed to hospital after a "chemical incident" at London City Airport today.
Flights were grounded and hundreds of passengers ordered onto the runway during chaotic scenes this afternoon.
Some 26 people were treated by paramedics for breathing difficulties and two patients have been taken to hospital.
The Metropolitan Police have since found a tear gas canister during a sweep of the airport.
They believe it may have been discarded by a passenger before check-in but are not treating the incident as terror-related.
Officers are investigating whether the CS spray was accidentally let off.
Boxing champ David Haye was caught up in the chaos and told how "everyone started coughing uncontrollably".
The sports star took to Twitter to describe his devastation about missing his pal's fight due to his flight being cancelled.
Haye wrote: "Gutted cant get to Scotland for @JoshTaylorBoxer fight tonight.
As #CityAirport got evacuated when everyone started coughing uncontrollably!"
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All flights were suspended and several planes were diverted to other airports.
It is not known when the airport will be back to normal.
London Fire Brigade said about 500 people were evacuated from the terminal about 4pm while emergency services investigated.
Three hours later the airport was declared "safe".
People took to social media to post pictures of the chaos, with many reporting that a fire had broken out inside the airport.
Chris Daly wrote: "London City Airport's on fire apparently. All evacuated to the tarmac."
The 35-year-old from Southend, Essex, had just landed from BA flight from Glasgow when he heard the fire alarms.
He told the : "When we got into the airport terminal building we could hear the fire alarms going on, then there were announcements in three different languages saying this is a fire alarm and the crew were directing us at the baggage carousel to evacuate the building.
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"We are now all standing on the tarmac under the wing of the airplane because it has started to rain.
"I can see some plane circling in the sky but nothing else has landed.
"No-one has really told us anything. We saw some fire crew going inside to do a sweep.
"I saw something on Twitter about it being a possible chemical incident. I'm not particularly worried because we are outside now."
"There have been refreshments handed out, we have been given water, crisps, blankets if necessary, but the mood on the ground is really one of lack of surety and a lack of information.
BBC reporter Andrew Cryne was due to board a flight at 5pm when the drama unfolded.
He said: "They said there was a fire, the building was evacuated and everybody was asked to stand outside.
"There have been refreshments handed out, we have been given water, crisps, blankets if necessary, but the mood on the ground is really one of lack of surety and a lack of information."
It comes just a day after a suspected bomb was discovered at a nearby tube station.
London City Airport confirmed the terminal had been evacuated.
A spokesman tweeted shortly before 5pm: "Terminal has been evacuated due to fire alarm, we are looking into the cause - update to follow."
Three fire engines have been sent from London Fire Brigade.
Trains going to and from the airport have also been suspended.
A statement from fire service said: "Two complete sweeps of the airport building were carried out jointly by firefighters and police officers both wearing protective equipment.
"No elevated readings were found and the building was ventilated, searched and declared safe."
It comes after a 19-year-old was arrested on terror offences after a controlled explosion yesterday at North Greenwich tube station, less than six miles away from the airport.
Police swarmed North Greenwich station, close to the O2, evacuating passengers and setting up a large cordon shortly after 11am yesterday.
A bomb squad carried out a controlled detonation of the suspicious item - and the station remained closed while officers investigated.
The man was arrested by armed cops in Holloway Road, London at 12.20 today.
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