Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey temporarily suspended all arrivals and departures on Monday morning after a burning smell prompted the evacuation of the air traffic control tower.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the evacuation was triggered by an odour coming from an elevator. The agency confirmed there was no fire, and the disruption lasted less than an hour. No injuries were reported.
During the pause, FAA staff moved to a backup tower at the airport, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the facility.
Officials clarified that the incident at Newark was unrelated to a fatal crash at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night, where a Jazz Aviation flight arriving from Montreal collided with a Port Authority truck on the runway. Forty-one passengers were taken to hospital, with nine still receiving treatment; two Port Authority employees suffered broken limbs.
