An exploding lithium battery caused a "loud sound" at Orlando International Airport that panicked travelers at a packed security checkpoint and disrupted flights Friday evening.

• Panic erupts over 'loud sound' at Orlando International Airport
• Orlando Police said there was no shooting and no shots fired
• Sound from lithium battery exploding in bag
  

A passenger carrying a backpack with a camera and lithium battery started to smell smoke. Officials said he got frightened and dropped the bag. It exploded in the main terminal building in front of the security checkpoint to gates 1-59, causing major confusion. 

Word spread that there was an active shooter, but officials said there was not active shooter and no safety threat or emergency. 

"In an abundance of caution," airport officials said, the building was evacuated while Orlando Police and airport officials investigated.

Police and airport officials quickly underscored that there was no shooting and no danger to the public, but the damage had been done — scores of social media from panicked relatives and travelers asked what was happening.

Phil Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviaton Authority said, "You're not going to be able to effectively communicate in a situation where you had probably an excess of 7,000 peope sitting in the terminal, with different noise levels. So we may not have been able to get the complete story out, but we tried to get the most salient and necessary information to the passengers." 

A number of flights were held and a ground stop issued, snarling traffic and forcing travelers to walk along the stopped tram's tracks back to the terminal.

Less than an hour later, flights arriving to the airport were delayed at the departing city, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

As of 10:30 p.m. Friday, there were 24 flight cancellations and 27 diversions.