On Tuesday afternoon, the Houston Fire Department was dispatched to a fire outbreak at a restaurant located in Terminal C North of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
Authorities confirmed that passengers nearby were relocated for safety. Firefighters were on-site by 4:30 p.m. local time and continued their efforts into the evening, as reported by Fox 26 Houston.
The airport announced, “Houston Fire Department is responding to a fire at a restaurant in Terminal C North at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Passengers in the immediate area have been relocated as a precaution. We will provide updates as they become available.” However, they did not disclose specifics about the restaurant, the fire’s cause, severity, or any injuries.
A witness indicated to Fox 26 Houston that it appeared to be a kitchen fire, generating a significant, dark smoke plume visible from outside the terminal. Local news helicopters captured footage showing the fire department’s response and the smoke billowing from the restaurant.
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Fire at a restaurant at IAH
Reportedly the restaurant name is…embers.
United says it’s having only minor impacts as it’s shifting flights to unused gates away from the fire response. No reports of passenger injuries per UA.
Video from a passengerpic.twitter.com/z8eCmPn9K5
— Kris Van Cleave (@krisvancleave) October 27, 2026
According to United Airlines, which has many flights operating from Terminal C, the fire did not disrupt flight schedules. CBS News transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave reported that United experienced minimal effects, with some flights relocated to different gates away from the incident.
Van Cleave also noted that there were no reports of any passenger injuries. While unverified reports suggested the fire originated at the Ember restaurant near Gate C12, these claims have yet to be confirmed by officials.
As of late Tuesday afternoon, Houston Fire Department and Houston Airports had not provided official updates regarding the fire’s status, containment, or overall impact on airport operations.
In 2025, George Bush Intercontinental Airport was ranked as the 15th-busiest airport in the U.S. based on passenger enplanements, with a total of 23,265,028 boardings. The airport facilitated around 48.1 million passengers that year, averaging roughly 132,000 travelers daily.
