Rice cooker prompts airport closure

Atlanta police say a disassembled rice cooker prompted a partial terminal closure and investigation at the world's busiest airport.

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport spokesman Reese McCranie has said the departure area of the international terminal was cordoned off while police and the FBI investigated Monday afternoon. Passengers were temporarily blocked from checking in for their flights.

Police department spokesman John Chafee says a man was trying to check his bag and found that it was overweight.

Chafee says the man removed items including a rice cooker and one of its components and put them into two garbage cans. A bomb unit investigated and determined the rice cooker wasn't a threat.

Chafee says an alert person saw it and notified authorities.