Timmins police say one person has been detained after they closed the Victor M. Power airport in Timmins, Ont., for five hours Saturday morning, following the discovery of a "suspicious item."

Marc Depatie, corporate communications coordinator for the Timmins Police Service, said luggage from a passenger tested positive for traces of explosives.

The airport's main terminal was immediately evacuated after the item was found at about 4:30 a.m. during routine baggage screening. It was reopened at 9:30 a.m.

All morning flights departing from the airport in Timmins, Ont., were cancelled due to the suspicious item. (Jean-Loup Doudard/CBC)

All morning flights departing from the airport were cancelled. Depatie said some flights might still be delayed due to the length of the disruption in service.

He described the incident as "fairly unique" in terms of its frequency.

Depatie said the evacuation and closure were standard protocol.

No threat to public safety

"There is no active threat to public safety as this incident is contained to the airport terminal," Depatie said in a statement shortly after police closed the airport.

Depatie said the closure was carried out in conjunction with Timmins Airport Authority and in keeping with Transport Canada regulations.

The airport is located about 11 kilometres northwest of Timmins, which is about 300 kilometres north of Sudbury in northern Ontario. It is named after the city's former mayor Victor M. Power.