Fire at Houston Bush Airport Forces Passengers Out of Terminal C

Houston firefighters extinguished a restaurant fire at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, after smoke spread near Terminal C North and passengers were moved away from the affected area. At least one United Airlines departure was briefly held, and officials reported no injuries.

The Houston Fire Department was called to the airport at about 4:20 p.m. on Oct. 27. The fire broke out inside Ember restaurant and was out by approximately 5:20 p.m., the department said. Houston Airports reported no flight cancellations as of its 5:30 p.m. update, although activity near the terminal was interrupted while crews responded.

Smoke at Houston airport prompts a hold on United Flight 2638

ABC13 reported that passengers on arriving flights saw smoke above the terminal while emergency crews responded. Controllers sought to establish where the smoke was coming from.

One aircraft was ready to leave its gate when a controller ordered United Flight 2638 to hold its pushback, according to recordings reported by ABC13 Houston. The recording establishes a temporary halt to that departure procedure, not a cancellation of the flight.

Another arriving traveler told ABC13 that his plane waited on the airfield for roughly 20 minutes while fire trucks gathered near the terminal. The airport’s other terminals continued operating during the emergency, according to Houston Airports.

Terminal C North passengers relocated during firefighting response

Airport officials moved people away from the restaurant and surrounding area. The evacuation was limited to the immediate vicinity of the fire, rather than the entire airport.

The Houston Fire Department’s dispatch listing recorded a terminal fire call on North Terminal Road at 4:21 p.m. Its crews brought the blaze under control about an hour later. Officials did not disclose the extent of damage inside Ember, and the airport had not announced when the restaurant would reopen.

United Airlines, whose Houston hub is at Bush Intercontinental, said the incident had not affected its broader operation, according to local reporting. That assessment did not rule out brief holds or gate changes affecting individual aircraft.

Fire investigators examine cause as Wednesday flights continue

The Houston Fire Department’s Arson Bureau is investigating what started the fire. Authorities have not announced a cause; the bureau’s involvement does not establish that the blaze was deliberately set.

Houston Airports said it was working with United over flights scheduled through Terminal C North on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Travelers were advised to check their airline’s latest gate and terminal assignments before heading to the airport. A separate United Express smoke-alert evacuation in Houston on October 24 involved a different incident.

Investigators had not identified the cause of the fire or released a damage estimate.