Flights were halted at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Monday after a burning smell was detected in the air traffic control tower, causing widespread travel disruption. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the smell originated from an elevator, and there was no fire.
A complete ground stop was imposed for about an hour from early morning, with air traffic controllers evacuated from the tower as a precaution. They later returned to the tower by 8:30 am local time, and the ground stop was extended until 9:30 am, according to reports from CNN and ABC News.
Newark Liberty International Airport is one of the busiest in the United States, serving tens of millions of passengers annually as a key hub for the New York City metropolitan area. The incident caused significant delays and cancellations, adding to travel chaos at US airports.
Meanwhile, LaGuardia Airport in New York also faced disruptions following a collision between an Air Canada plane and a vehicle on the ground. The incidents come as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were deployed to US airports to assist with security lines amid a partial government shutdown.
