The Houston airport fire that sent smoke over Bush Intercontinental Airport on Tuesday is out, but it isn't quite over for United passengers. The airport says some United flights will leave from different gates than planned on Wednesday, so anyone flying out of IAH should check their terminal and gate in the morning before heading to the airport.
Latest Updates
Tuesday, 10 p.m. ET: Houston's Bush airport says it's working with United to run all of Wednesday's flights, with some moved to different gates. The fire was put out about an hour after crews arrived, and no injuries were reported.
What Happened
The fire broke out Tuesday afternoon at Ember, a restaurant in Terminal C North, part of United's main terminal at Houston Bush. Houston firefighters were sent at 4:20 p.m. local time, and travelers nearby were moved away as a precaution as smoke rose from the building. Crews had the fire out by 5:20 p.m., and the Houston Fire Department says nobody was hurt. Its arson investigators are looking into the cause.
Flights kept moving through it all. United said the fire wasn't affecting flights, and flight tracking data showed planes taking off and landing normally all evening, with only a couple of flights near the fire leaving about 40 minutes late. Posts on social media claiming a ground stop weren't backed up by the airport, United or the FAA, and some appear to describe a different Terminal C fire from 2023.
Houston Bush (IAH) · Wednesday
Flying United From Houston Tomorrow?
- Check your terminal and gate in the United app before leaving home.
- Check again after security, since gates can change at short notice.
- Connecting in Houston? Allow extra time for a longer walk or the terminal train.
Contrail
If You're Flying United From Houston Wednesday
The main thing is your gate. Check the United app or your boarding pass in the morning, and again once you're through security, since gate changes can happen at short notice while part of Terminal C is being cleaned up. Leave yourself a little extra time if you're connecting in Houston, because a new gate could mean a longer walk or a ride on the airport train between terminals. Flights on other airlines and in other terminals shouldn't be affected.
