OAN’s Abril Elfi
11:46 AM – Thursday, February 1, 2024
A hangar under construction at an airport in Boise, Idaho, has collapsed, killing three people and injuring nine others.
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On Wednesday, the city released a statement saying that three people passed away from the structure collapse and nine others were injured, including “five in critical condition,” after the catastrophic incident.
Boise Fire Department Operations Chief Aaron Hummel stated that authorities responded to calls regarding the collapse at around 5 p.m. local time.
“It was a very chaotic scene,” Hummel said, describing the incident as a “large-scale collapse” of the framework of the building. “I don’t know what caused it, but I can tell you it was a pretty global collapse,” he said.
Officials also reassured locals that Boise Airport operations were not impacted.
According to Hummel, certain victims were on an elevated platform when the structure collapsed, necessitating specific rescue operations. He also said that the incident resulted in the collapse of a crane.
First responders quickly arrived to the scene with trauma specialists, and the victims were taken to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, according to Leticia Ramirez, a spokeswoman for the facility.
The cause of the collapse is now being investigated by the authorities. It took place close to Jackson Jet Center, which provides maintenance and private aircraft charter services.
According to city of Boise permitting records, Big D Builders, a contractor, was granted permission to construct a 39,000-square-foot (3,623-square-meter) jet hangar for Jackson Jet Center.
The $6.2 million project called for the building of a metal structure and a concrete foundation. Emails and phone calls requesting Big D Builders to comment were not promptly answered.
Jessica Flynn, CEO of the public relations firm Red Sky, issued the statement on behalf of Jackson Jet Center.
“We do not know exactly what caused the hangar collapse,” the statement said. “Our focus now is on supporting our team and partners during this difficult time.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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