How high were the winds when Boise hangar collapsed? Here’s the weather as structure fell
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Fatal building collapse in Boise
Three people died on the scene in January when a hangar under construction collapsed near the Boise Airport. Follow all our latest coverage here.
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A structure collapse near the Boise Airport on Wednesday that left three people dead and nine others injured may have been affected by strong winds.
At approximately 5 p.m. Wednesday, Boise Police and Fire received a call of a structure collapse at a hangar construction site on Boise Airport property near Rickenbacker and Luke streets.
Boise Fire Operations Chief Aaron Hummel said that officials are unsure what caused the collapse but that a crane also collapsed during the incident. Hummel said the crane was on hand to place “structural members” at the construction site, which was set to be a hangar for private charter flight service Jackson Jet Center.
Data from the National Weather Service in Boise shows that from around 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., sustained winds at the airport sat at 14-17 mph. A gust of 20 mph was recorded at 4:50 p.m., about 10 minutes before emergency services were called.
According to guidelines issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, wind speeds of 20 mph or more are when construction sites should begin exercising caution.
“When wind speed (sustained or gusts) exceeds 20 mph at the personnel platform,” the OSHA recommendation reads, “a qualified person must determine if, in light of the wind conditions, it is not safe to lift personnel. If it is not, the lifting operation must not begin (or, if already in progress, must be terminated).”
This story was originally published February 1, 2024 at 11:20 AM.
