Evacuation at major US airport as flights grounded

A control tower at a major airport serving New York City has been evacuated after reports of smoke.

The tower at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was evacuated and a ground stop put in place after a burning smell from an elevator, according to Reuters news agency.

It comes after an Air Canada plane crashed into a fire engine overnight at New York's LaGuardia airport, killing the pilot and co-pilot.

Forty-one people from the plane were taken to hospital in the aftermath of the crash, some with serious injuries, though 32 were subsequently released.

Air traffic was paused at Newark at around 7.30am local time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed.

"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.

A notice on the FAA website said air traffic control would be moved to an alternate tower location.

Once a ground stop is in force, all aircraft that meet the relevant criteria are compelled to remain on the ground, according to the FAA, which calls them "one of the most restrictive methods of traffic management".

The Newark airport is one of three aviation hubs serving New York City, and the second-busiest of the trio behind John F. Kennedy International.

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