On August 20, a 28-year-old man reportedly started a gasoline fire in Terminal 1 of Milan Malpensa Airport, causing chaos, damage, and injury to at least one person.
The Lombardy Airports Association is a news source focused on airports and aviation in northern Italy. The outlet reported on X that the incident occurred in the airport terminal‘s check-in area. In its initial post about the incident, the source described the man who started the fire as a “madman.” It additionally shared that half of the terminal’s check-in area was closed, pending a “safe restoration.”
The post included photos of smoke inside the terminal. It also showed multiple emergency service vehicles outside the airport.
In a follow-up post, the association said authorities arrested the arsonist and the “situation was quickly brought under control.”
Un matto ha dato fuoco alla zona check in isola 4 di #Malpensa T1. Metà zona check in è chiusa in attesa che si possa ripristinare l'operatività in sicurezza.
— Associazione Aeroporti Lombardi ✈️ (@aptlombardi) August 20, 2025
Nel parliamo QUI SUL FORUM https://t.co/KETrbU0Q7Y#emergenza #milano #incendio #aeroporto pic.twitter.com/3BqcUSXP3M
What Else Is There To Know About The Fire At Milan Airport?
CNN shared bystander footage from the incident showing someone extinguishing the flames. Moments later, a man — allegedly the arsonist — was near a large airport billboard. Then, another man knocked the suspect in the head with a fire extinguisher. Multiple people rushed over to help apprehend the arsonist and call out for police.
The man’s age was reported by CNN, which claimed that he “escaped from the emergency room” where he’d been hospitalized the day before the fire incident. The man was allegedly taken to the hospital “after smashing a store window with a hammer.” The publication credited Fabiola Gomes, Noemi Carvalho, and the account @Assessorialeardini for the videos.
Separately, the BBC reported that during the airport incident, the arsonist used “a hammer to bang on a wall with screens and a large advert near the fire.”
Authorities reportedly said that the man doused the check-in counter with gasoline before setting it ablaze. Police allegedly told CNN that the fire incident caused damage to the airport and harm to at least one person.
Authorities have reportedly issued the arsonist charges of aggravated damage to public property. The Lombardy Airports Association shared an update on Instagram, noting that check-in counters 13 through 19 in Milan Malpensa Airport’s Terminal 1 were temporarily out of service. However, it added that counters 14 through 19 would hopefully be resuming operations shortly.
See clips of the incident and photos of its damage below.
