Security breach empties Tampa concourse

Some 1,200 passengers moved to main terminal

TAMPA, Florida (CNN) -- A concourse was evacuated at Tampa International Airport on Tuesday morning after security screeners tried to apprehend a man they say they believe had a bag containing a firearm.

The passenger escaped. No one was injured.

Flights were halted and about 1,200 passengers were evacuated to the main terminal -- called Landside, at the Tampa airport -- after the incident occurred at 5:30 a.m. EST, said airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan.

She said the bag had started moving through the screening device when the man grabbed it and fled.

Geoghagan said the screeners thought they detected a weapon inside.

Flight crews began returning for rescreening at 7:30 a.m. EST., and passengers were allowed back into the concourse, known as Airside A, for rescreening about an hour after that, Geoghagan said.

The 15 gates at Concourse Airside A are used by four airlines: Southwest, Northwest, Continental and America West.