Authorities respond to the scene of a reported building collapse near the Boise Airport on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Boise, Idaho.
Terra Furman/AP
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Terra Furman/AP
Authorities respond to the scene of a reported building collapse near the Boise Airport on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Boise, Idaho.
Terra Furman/AP
BOISE, ID — A hangar under construction at an airport in Boise, Idaho, collapsed on Wednesday, killing three people and injuring nine others, authorities said.
Five people injured in the Boise Airport collapse are in critical condition, the city announced in a statement Wednesday night.
Boise Fire Department Chief of Operations Aaron Hummel said at a news conference earlier that the privately-owned steel hangar suffered a “catastrophic” collapse, which authorities responded to around 5 p.m. He said everyone at the scene was found safe as of Wednesday evening.
According to a statement from the city, all three people died at the scene. Responding firefighters worked to stabilize the scene and rescued multiple victims.
“It was a very chaotic scene,” Hummel said, describing the incident as a “massive collapse” of the building's skeleton. “I don't know what caused it, but I would say it was a pretty global collapse,” he said.
Boise airport operations were not affected, officials said.
Tera Furman was driving on Interstate 84 around 5:30 p.m. when she spotted at least 20 police cars, ambulances and fire engines about a quarter-mile from the airport entrance. As she described them, they were located around a crane that was folded in half and a collapsed building in the shape of an “M”.
“The wall was still up in some parts, and the middle collapsed on either side,” she said.
Hummel said some of the victims were on hoists or other high ground when the structure collapsed, necessitating professional rescue efforts. It was confirmed that the crane also collapsed in this accident.
Leticia Ramirez, spokeswoman for St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, said emergency and trauma teams worked with first responders to treat patients arriving from the scene.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse. It happened next door to the Jackson Jet Center, which provides private plane charter and maintenance.
According to City of Boise permit records, contractor Big D Builders had a permit to build a 39,000-square-foot (3,623-square-meter) jet hangar for the Jackson Jet Center.
The $6.2 million project would include construction of a concrete foundation and metal building. Messages left by phone and email seeking comment with Big D Builders were not immediately returned.
“Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this horrific event,” Jackson Jet Center CEO Jessica Flynn said in a statement.
Flynn said the collapse occurred at a site where the company's new hangar was under construction, just west of the existing Jackson Jet Center. She said dozens of people were working at the site.
“We don't know exactly what caused the hangar collapse,” Flynn said. “Our current focus is on supporting our teams and partners during this difficult time.”
James Quintana was driving to the airport when he saw emergency vehicles passing in front of him. He said he immediately thought it was a plane crash. He then saw the collapsed hangar and emergency workers treating the victims.
“I'm a former law enforcement guy, and when there's that much commotion and that many emergency personnel and vehicles, something big is going on,” he said. “It was a terrifying sight.”
Cody McGowan said he was working about 100 yards (91 meters) from the building when he heard what sounded like a dog barking. When he looked up, he saw a three-and-a-half to four-story hangar collapsed, with part of a crane on top of it.
“When I walked in there, you were just like, 'Wow,'” he said. “It's shocking to see buildings come down.”
