On the morning of March 23, 2026, Newark Airport (USA) suspended all flights and evacuated staff after smoke was detected in the control tower. No injuries have been reported.
Newark, New Jersey | March 23, 2026 (New York Time) — All flight operations at Newark Liberty International Airport were suspended Monday morning after signs of a fire appeared in the air traffic control tower.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that at approximately 7:30 AM, air traffic controllers detected a burning smell coming from an elevator in the control tower. By approximately 8:00 AM, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reported smoke in the area, forcing an emergency evacuation of all personnel.
Flight Operations Suspended, Shift to Backup Tower
Immediately following the incident, the FAA issued a ground stop, suspending all incoming and outgoing flights at the airport.
Air traffic coordination was moved to a backup tower located in Terminal C. This transition aimed to maintain safety controls in the context of
U.S. airports facing hours of congestion before normal operations could resume.
There is currently no specific timeline for the full resumption of all flights.
Developments and Official Response
The FAA stated:
“Arrivals and departures were halted after air traffic controllers evacuated the tower due to a burning smell from the elevator.”
The situation is currently being addressed, and there have been no reports of severe damage similar to
burning aircraft accidents or direct injuries to personnel.
Context: Consecutive Incidents at Major Airports
The incident at Newark occurs as the U.S. aviation industry faces consecutive disruptions, leaving
passengers in long lines at many aviation hubs:
March 20: Newark previously suspended flights due to passenger overcrowding.
March 23: LaGuardia Airport closed temporarily following a
runway accident involving an Air Canada plane and a fire truck.
Aviation experts suggest the string of incidents is putting significant pressure on airport operational systems.
Additional Information
No major fire has been confirmed; the situation is currently suspected to be a technical issue.
No casualties have been reported in the Newark incident.
The FAA will continue to provide updates as official information becomes available.
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