An emergency evacuation was ordered at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday morning after smoke was reported inside the control tower, according to Reuters. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials said tower staff at the New Jersey airport were forced to vacate immediately. The evacuation halted flights and delayed hundreds of travelers.
The evacuation triggered a ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport. The ground stop began around 7:50 AM ET. The ground stop has been extended until at least 9:30 AM ET.
Officials listed the probability of further extensions as 'medium'. The situation remained unstable and additional delays were possible. The total number of delayed flights jumped from 420 to 1,814.
The maximum delay reached 149 minutes. The average delay climbed to 53 minutes. The disruption affected flights departing from multiple major airspace regions, including those serving Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, DC, New York, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Jacksonville, as well as several Canadian cities, including Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax and Quebec City.
Reports indicated that the smoke in the tower was traced to the elevator's gears. The air traffic controllers are relocating to the on-site backup facility. As of the latest update, officials had not provided additional details about the underlying cause of the disruption beyond earlier reports linked to emergency conditions at the airport.
The exact cause of the smoke in the elevator's gears has not been determined. It is also unclear how long the ground stop and delays will last beyond 9:30 AM ET. The issues at Newark come just hours after a deadly crash at LaGuardia Airport, where an Air Canada flight struck a ground vehicle Sunday night, killing both pilots.
The FAA is investigating the incident at Newark, and travelers are advised to check with their airlines for updates on flight statuses and potential cancellations. The evacuation and subsequent ground stop led to significant operational challenges at one of the busiest airports in the New York metropolitan area. Airport authorities are working to restore normal operations as quickly as possible while ensuring safety protocols are followed.
Passengers experienced widespread confusion and frustration due to the sudden delays and cancellations affecting both domestic and international routes. Airlines have been issuing travel advisories and offering rebooking options for impacted customers. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in critical airport infrastructure and the cascading effects such disruptions can have on regional and national air travel networks.