According to ABC News, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said a ground stop was put in place after the tower was evacuated at approximately 7:30 a.m. (local time).
The FAA says there was no fire, a burning smell came from the elevator
The FAA said the disruption was caused by a suspected problem with an elevator, not an active fire.“Arrivals and departures were temporarily grounded at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey after air traffic controllers evacuated the tower due to the smell of fire emanating from an elevator,” the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement reported by ABC News.
“This happened around 7:30 a.m. (local time) on Monday, March 23,” the agency added.An FAA spokesperson also clarified that there was no fire, according to ABC News, and said controllers left the tower because of a burning smell coming from the elevator.
Controllers switched to backup speed, and flights were delayed
As the evacuation began, air traffic controllers were moved to a backup facility on site.The temporary move forced flights to stop, although the disruption appeared short-lived.
By approximately 8:30 a.m. (local time), controllers were seen returning to the tower, indicating that the situation had stabilized.Shortly after, the flights were seen landing again in Newark, and the ground stop was lifted, according to ABC7.The accident in Newark came at a time when the New York area’s aviation network was already under pressure.Nearby LaGuardia Airport remained closed after a plane collided with a truck on the runway.
