3 killed and 9 injured in collapse of private hangar under construction at Boise airport, officials say
By Amy Simonson and Jason Hanna, CNN
(CNN) — Three people were killed and nine others were injured when a privately owned hangar under construction collapsed on airport property in Idaho’s capital of Boise on Wednesday evening, city officials said.
The metal structure on the edge of Boise Airport collapsed around 5 p.m. and an investigation into the cause is underway, the city’s fire department said Wednesday.
Of the nine injured survivors, five were in critical condition and receiving care at hospitals on Wednesday night, city officials said. The names of those killed and injured were not immediately released.
“There was a large-scale collapse of the building, the framework of the building. I don’t know what caused it, but I can tell you that it was a pretty global collapse that occurred,” Aaron Hummel, operations chief for the Boise Fire Department, said at a news conference Wednesday, before the city announced a death toll. “It was fairly catastrophic.”
The building under construction was not a city facility and airport operations were not affected, Hummel said.
“(The collapse) occurred just west of our existing Jackson Jet Center at our new 39,000-square-foot steel hangar under construction, where dozens of dedicated people were working on site,” Jackson Jet Center, which owns the structure, said in a statement reported by CNN affiliate KIVI-TV.
“We do not know exactly what caused the hangar collapse. Our focus now is on supporting our team and partners during this difficult time.”
Jackson Jet Center offers private airplane charters throughout the US and Canada, with private hangar space and pilot service facilities located at Boise and Phoenix airports, according to its website.
First responders “found a hectic scene and worked to secure and rescue victims,” Hummel said in a Wednesday night release after the news conference.
Everyone in the area has been accounted for, Hummel said at the news conference.
“Boise police are working to help with the reunification of any family members,” Hummel said.
The construction was not an airport project, Rebecca Hupp, the airport director, said during the news conference.
The Idaho State Police earlier warned the incident was causing traffic issues near the airport on Interstate 84 and urged motorists to drive through the area carefully and “stay alert.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Melissa Alonso and Chimaine Pouteau contributed to this report.
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UPDATE Feb. 1, 2024, 12 p.m.: Local News 8 spoke with OSHA officials in Boise. They told us they couldn't comment on the investigation, but they did talk to us about the process. They said they would first work to find out exactly what happened by collecting evidence, talking to witnesses, and taking pictures. OSHA is an enforcement organization and it will be determined if any violations were made. They say OSHA violations can be determined as criminal through legal processes that would show intentional disregard. OSHA says the steel erection, like the Boise hanger that failed, is highly hazardous. They say this is why everyone must work to keep employment safe. They also say their hearts go out to all those involved.
