Smoke grenade in a trash can at SJU airport: five airlines' counters evacuated and here is what you need to know

A suspicious object inside a trash can was enough to trigger the full security protocol at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in Isla Verde on Friday afternoon, August 28. Police confirmed it was a commercial-type smoke grenade, found in the men's restroom of Terminal B, across from the Southwest Airlines counters ¹². The airport operator, Aerostar Airport Holdings, temporarily evacuated the check-in counters and kiosks of five airlines while the Explosives Unit examined and removed the device, and operations returned to normal that same afternoon with no flight delays reported ¹³.

The report came in at around 1:19 p.m. on Friday, when an employee noticed the suspicious object in the trash can of the men's restroom, located on the second level of the terminal in the departures area ¹². The employee immediately alerted security personnel and the authorities, who activated the established protocol ².

Police mobilized personnel from their explosives division, who performed a radiographic inspection of the device without major incident before securing it and removing it from the terminal ¹³. Lieutenant Ismael Cartagena Caratini, director of the Police Explosives Office, explained that the grenade, had it gone off, would have generated dark smoke because of the combustible material it contains ². Although this type of device is not a fragmentation explosive, a cloud of dense smoke inside a terminal full of passengers could have caused panic and a much larger disruption of operations ².

Five airlines evacuated

As part of the protocol, Aerostar ordered the temporary evacuation of the check-in counters and kiosks of Delta, Southwest, Iberia, United and Cape Air, and also activated the airport's Rescue and Emergency team ¹³. Once the explosives unit completed its technical review and removed the grenade, the affected areas resumed normal activities ¹³. Neither Aerostar nor the authorities reported any flights delayed or canceled as a result of the incident ²³.

The key facts

• Date and time: Friday, August 28, 2026, reported at 1:19 p.m. ¹³
• Location: trash can in the men's restroom, second level of Terminal B, across from the Southwest counters in the departures area ¹²
• Device: one commercial-type smoke grenade ¹²³
• Airlines with evacuated counters: 5 (Delta, Southwest, Iberia, United and Cape Air) ¹³
• Reported flight delays or cancellations: 0 ²³
• Police tip line: 787-343-2020 ²

What it means for you

If you are flying out of SJU in the coming days, there are no changes to operations: the airport has been running normally since Friday ¹³. But the incident is a reminder that a single suspicious object can shut down an entire check-in area on the spot, as happened with the counters of five airlines ¹³. If you get caught in a similar evacuation, nobody gives you back the time lost in line, so arriving with a cushion is still your best insurance.

It is also worth remembering that pyrotechnics and smoke devices are banned on commercial flights: the TSA does not allow flares or pyrotechnic items in either carry-on or checked baggage ⁴. Bringing one of these items to the airport, even by accident after a beach or camping weekend, can earn you an encounter with federal security ⁴.

How to do it / Checklist

1. Arrive with extra time: for flights out of SJU, plan on getting there 2 to 3 hours early, because a security protocol can close counters without warning, as it did on Friday ¹³.
2. Check your luggage before leaving home: remove flares, fireworks and any smoke device, all of which are prohibited by the TSA in the cabin and in checked bags ⁴.
3. If you see an abandoned bag or object in the terminal, do not touch or move it: notify airport security personnel, just as the employee who reported the grenade did ².
4. If you have information about who left the device, call the police tip line at 787-343-2020 ².
5. During an evacuation, follow instructions from Aerostar and your airline, and check your flight status on the app or the monitors before panicking: on Friday there were no delays ²³.

What's next

Police have begun reviewing the terminal's security camera footage to identify the person who left the grenade in the trash can ². Lieutenant Cartagena Caratini said they are not ruling out any theory, including that the device was placed intentionally ². If a suspect is identified, the case would go to the Department of Justice for charges. CoquiList will be watching the outcome of the investigation and any changes to security protocols at Puerto Rico's main airport.

Sources

1. El Nuevo Día - Retiran granada de humo del Aeropuerto Internacional Luis Muñoz Marín
2. Metro Puerto Rico - Hallan granada de humo en baño del aeropuerto Luis Muñoz Marín
3. Telemundo Puerto Rico - Retoman operaciones en el aeropuerto LMM tras hallazgo de supuesta granada de humo
4. TSA - What Can I Bring: Flares