Three killed and nine injured after airport hangar collapses in 'catastrophic' scene
1 February 2024, 09:03
Three people have been killed and nine more hurt after a hangar collapsed at an airport in the US state of Idaho.
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The steel hangar at the Boise airport came down at around 5pm local time on Wednesday (around midnight UK time).
Five of the people who were injured are in a critical condition, and are at local hospitals.
The cause of the collapse remains unclear. Some of the victims were on a hoist at the time the structure fell. A crane also collapsed in the incident.
Emergency services rushed to the scene of the disaster, with a local fire brigade chief calling it "catastrophic".
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Aaron Hummel, Boise Fire Department operations chief, said: "First responders found a hectic scene and worked to secure and rescue victims.
"The Boise Airport, city of Boise, and all first responders extend their deepest sympathies to those impacted."
"It was a very chaotic scene," he added 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.
The operations of the airport were not affected, according to local officials.
The collapse happened next to Jackson Jet Centre, which offers private airplane charters and maintenance, and city permitting records show permits to build a jet hangar for the company.
Jackson Jet Centre chief executive Jessica Flynn said in a statement their "hearts go out to everyone affected by this horrific event".
"We do not know exactly what caused the hangar collapse," she said.
"Our focus now is on supporting our team and partners during this difficult time."
