Washington-area airports halt flights due to chemical smell at air traffic center - AP News

Washington-area airports halted flight operations after a chemical smell was detected at an air traffic control center, forcing evacuations and disrupting travel in one of the nation's busiest aviation regions. The facility's closure meant controllers could not safely direct incoming and outgoing aircraft, leaving planes unable to depart or land at major hubs serving the DC metropolitan area. The specific source and nature of the chemical smell was under investigation. Air traffic control centers are critical infrastructure; even brief disruptions cascade across the national airspace system and affect thousands of passengers. Authorities worked to determine whether the smell posed a health risk to staff and when normal operations could resume.