The chaotic scenes erupted at Milan’s Malpensa airport when the suspect suddenly doused the desk with a flammable liquid and then set it ablaze at about 11 a.m. local time.

Fabiola Gomes, who filmed the video, told the BBC she was at the airport to collective her relative before seeing "fire everywhere" and a "boy with a hammer" who was hitting the counter. People "passing by" stopped him and police arrived 10 minutes later, she said, adding that she was "very scared".