Newark flights briefly suspended after control tower was evacuated due to smoke

Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark. kena betancur / AFP via Getty Images 2026-03-23T12:56:12.318Z Share Copy link Email Facebook WhatsApp X LinkedIn Bluesky Threads lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.

Impact Link Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. Flights were temporarily suspended at Newark Airport after a control tower was evacuated due to smoke. The FAA said smoke from an elevator prompted air traffic controllers to evacuate the tower. Nearby LaGuardia Airport is closed after a plane collided with a ground vehicle, killing two pilots. AI-generated summary Summaries are generated by an AI model trained on Business Insider's articles. AI may make mistakes or provide inaccurate/incomplete information. We're unable to load that answer right now. Please try again. What causes smoke in a control tower? What is the protocol for tower evacuations? What safety measures exist for pilots? How do ground stops affect flights? How often do airport accidents occur? Flights at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey were temporarily suspended on Monday after a control tower was evacuated due to smoke, the FAA said. Operations have since returned to normal. Loading audio narration... The FAA said air traffic controllers evacuated the tower after a burning smell from an elevator was detected around 7:30 a.m. local time. Personnel returned to the tower around 8:30 a.m. local time, they said.The suspension at Newark comes as one of New York's other airport hubs — LaGuardia — is also facing disruption on Monday following a collision late Sunday. LaGuardia will remain closed to flights until 2 p.m. local time.

An Air Canada aircraft collided with a ground vehicle at the airport, resulting in the death of two pilots and several people being injured.The Air Canada Express flight, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation — a Canadian regional carrier that runs shorthaul flights on behalf of Air Canada — collided with a Port Authority rescue and firefighting vehicle on the airfield shortly after landing, authorities said.