OAN’s Avril Elfie
11:46am – Thursday, February 1, 2024
A hangar under construction at an airport in Boise, Idaho, collapses, killing three people and injuring nine others.
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On Wednesday, the city released a statement following the disaster, saying three people were killed and nine others were injured, including “five in critical condition” due to the building collapse.
Boise Fire Department Chief of Operations Aaron Hummel said authorities responded to a call about the collapse around 5 p.m. local time.
“It was a very chaotic scene,” Hummel said, describing the incident as a “massive collapse” of the building’s framework. “I don’t know what caused it, but I would say it was a pretty global collapse,” he said.
Officials also reassured local residents that Boise Airport operations will not be affected.
Hummel said some of the victims were on higher ground when the building collapsed, necessitating special rescue efforts. It also said the crane collapsed as a result of the accident.
First responders, along with trauma specialists, quickly arrived on the scene and the victim was taken to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, said Leticia Ramirez, a spokeswoman for the facility.
The cause of the collapse is currently being investigated by authorities. The location was near the Jackson Jet Center, which provides maintenance and commercial aircraft charter services.
Contractor Big D Builders was granted a permit to build a 39,000-square-foot (3,623-square-meter) jet hangar for the Jackson Jet Center, according to city of Boise permit records.
The $6.2 million project required the construction of a metal structure and concrete foundation. Emails and phone calls seeking comment from Big D Builders were not immediately returned.
Jessica Flynn, CEO of public relations firm RedSky, issued a statement on behalf of Jackson Jet Center.
“The exact cause of the hangar collapse is unknown,” the statement said. “Our current focus is on supporting our teams and partners during this difficult time.”
This is a developing story. Please check the latest information.
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