Airport Collapse Leads To Deaths

(IntegrityPress.org) – In Boise, Idaho, tragedy struck on Wednesday, January 31, as a hangar under construction collapsed at the airport, resulting in three deaths and injuries to nine people at the site. Boise Fire Department Operations Chief Aaron Hummel reported that emergency personnel responded around 5 PM local time to a building collapse near Boise Airport. At the scene, the three people who died did not make it to the hospital, and among the nine injured, five are in critical condition, who are currently receiving treatment at local hospitals.

The deadly collapse occurred at a construction site for a metal structure. Responders, facing a chaotic scene, diligently worked to secure and rescue victims. Hummel expressed condolences from the from the government of Boise, the airport and all the first responders to those affected.

The hangar under construction, even though located on the airport’s property, was privately owned and not a city facility, Hummel said during an earlier briefing. Records from Boise city permitting revealed that Big D Builders, the contractor, had secured permits for constructing a 38,000-square-foot jet hangar for Jackson Jet Center. This center provides private charter flights, and its CEO, Jessica Flynn, conveyed sympathy, mentioning that the collapse occurred just west of the Jackson Jet Center, where a large number of people witnessed the collapse.

Described as a “catastrophic” incident, the building’s structure was made by a rigid steel frame, and a crane, also impacted, was placing structural components during the collapse. Despite the challenging rescue efforts, everyone at the site was accounted for. The incident’s impact did not affect Boise Airport operations, and even close-by witnesses were not hurt by the collapse.

Authorities are actively investigating the cause of the collapse, and representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are on-site, contributing to the ongoing investigation into why the building was not secure.