Airport of Boise: 3 lost their lives and 9 injured due to hangar collapse

Three workers lost their lives, and nine others sustained injuries as a privately owned hangar being constructed at the airport of Boise, collapsed on Wednesday 31^st of January at approximately 5p.m, according to city authorities. The metal structure collapsed into the shape of an “M” and, according to a witness, the walls remained intact initially, but the central portion collapsed inward on both sides.

Boise Fire Division Chief of Operations Aaron Hummel noted that the workers were elevated on a hoist or similar elevated platform when the structure collapsed. Hummel described the incident as "large-scale" and "catastrophic," emphasizing the extensive emergency response involving multiple agencies. In addition, Hummel assured that the under-construction building was not a city facility and thus airport operations remained unaffected.

The victims have been identified as Craig Durrant, 59, from Boise, Mario Sontay Tzi, 32, and Mariano Coc Och, 24, from Nampa, Idaho. Their bodies were discovered beneath the debris of the collapsed hangar. Among the survivors, five were in critical condition and are receiving medical attention at hospitals, city officials reported.

As the authorities stated, the reasons behind the collapse are not yet known and the incident is under investigation by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. For this reason, the area has been secured with fencing.