Newark Liberty International Airport

Company

Last mentioned: Mar 23, 2026

Timeline

Mar 23, 2026, 4:00 PM UTC
Operations Resume

Ground stop lifted; flights begin to depart and land with significant residual delays.
Mar 23, 2026, 3:15 PM UTC
Safety Clearance

Fire department completes inspection and clears the tower for re-entry.
Mar 23, 2026, 2:30 PM UTC
Evacuation Ordered

Tower personnel evacuate; FAA issues an immediate ground stop for all EWR-bound flights.
Mar 23, 2026, 2:15 PM UTC
Smell Detected

Air traffic controllers report a burning smell within the Newark tower cab.

Stories mentioning Newark Liberty International Airport 1

Newark Airport Tower Evacuation Halts Flights, Disrupting East Coast Logistics

A burning smell in the Newark Liberty International Airport control tower forced a full evacuation and a temporary ground stop on March 23, 2026. The incident caused immediate delays at one of the nation's busiest logistics hubs, highlighting critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.

Mar 23, 2026 4 sources