OIA officials address response to exploding battery, evacuations

Officials at Orlando International Airport say they are looking into ways to improve communication with passengers days after a battery exploded in a terminal, causing people to panic. 

It was a moment of chaos that sent people running following the explosion of a lithium battery that was inside a suitcase.  Airport officials say the security checkpoints were breached as people like Jan Sorino feared the worst.

"I was sitting right there, and see people running and crying.  They were desperate, and so what I did, I started running to the door."

Airport officials say there were never any gunshots,only miscommunication.

"There were a lot of people that were running for what they thought were their lives," explained Phil Brown, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.

Running, despite pages going out over the loud speaker.

"At that point, when the pages started going out, you had in access of 5,000 people. The terminal was noisy and you couldn't hear those pages."

Now, airport officials are looking for ways to improve communications by using the fire alarm message system as well as flight boards. They're also going to review evacuations with workers.

"We had some people that are new to the airport so we have to go back and take time with the air carriers as well as the agencies."

Sorino is glad the airport plans to make changes.

"I think they should do it. I didn't hear nothing at all. There was too much noises from people so I couldn't hear nothing."

Brown said the incident was ruled an accident by the Orlando Police Department.