Nearby Airport Issues Ground Stop Following Deadly LaGuardia Crash
Hours after a crash at New York City's LaGuardia Airport left two pilots dead and dozens of passengers injured, officials issued a ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
The ground stop was implemented around 7:30 a.m. ET after a burning smell was detected, causing all inbound flights to come to a halt.
Federal Aviation Administration makes the call
The FAA issued the ground stop after an air traffic control tower was evacuated due to the burning smell.
“Arrivals and departures are temporarily paused at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey after air traffic controllers evacuated the tower because of a burning smell coming from an elevator,” the FAA said in a statement.
Air traffic controllers who evacuated the building are being temporarily relocated to a backup tower at Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal C, per FOX 5 New York.
Thirty-three arriving flights at Newark have been delayed as of 9 a.m. ET Monday, according to FlightAware.
LaGuardia tragedy still fresh
Late Sunday night, an Air Canada express flight landing at LaGuardia collided with a Port Authority fire truck on the runway.
Two pilots were killed, and over 40 passengers and crew members were taken to the hospital. Many have since been released, but others who were more seriously injured remain under care.
"Emergency response protocols were immediately activated," LaGuardia Airport said in a statement. "The Port Authority Police Department is on scene along with the agency’s Chairman and Executive Director. The airport is currently closed to facilitate the response and allow for a thorough investigation.
"This is a developing situation based on preliminary information. The Port Authority Police Department is working closely with our airline partners as well as federal authorities and will provide additional updates as more details become available."
LaGuardia is expected to remain closed at least until Monday afternoon.