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Three people have been killed and nine injured after a hangar under construction at Boise Airport collapsed.
Authorities responded to a “catastrophic collapse” at around 5pm on Wednesday at a privately owned steel-framed hanger, Boise Fire Department Operations Chief Aaron Hummel said in a news briefing, according to AP.
As of Wednesday evening, everyone who had been at the site had been accounted for, Mr Hummel added.
Three people died at the scene, and five of those who were injured are in critical condition, the city said in a statement on Wednesday.
Fire crews worked to stabilise the scene and were able to rescue multiple victims, the statement added.
“It was a very chaotic scene,” Mr Hummel said. “I don’t know what caused it, but I can tell you it was a pretty global collapse,” he said.
He added that some of the victims were on a hoist or other elevated platforms when the structure collapsed, meaning some specialised rescue efforts were needed.
A crane also fell during the incident, Mr Hummell added.
Emergency and trauma teams were also at the scene with first responders to treat the victims, Leticia Ramirez, a spokesperson for Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, said, according to the outlet.
The response efforts included eight fire engines, three ladder trucks, two safety officers, two battalion chiefs, one division chief, a heavy rescue unit, and a dozen ambulances, the city statement said.
Operations at Boise Airport have not been impacted, officials said, according to the outlet.
Authorites are investigating what happened that caused the collapse of the hangar.