Construction firm that caused Idaho airport hangar collapse ignored safety standards, OSHA says

BOISE, Idaho. (AP) — Federal safety investigators on Monday cited a construction company for the deadly hangar collapse at an Idaho airport, saying the company showed a “blatant disregard” for federal safety standards.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has assessed Big D Builders, Inc. a $200,000 penalty, KBOI-TV reportedThe penalties stem from one willful violation and three serious violations of federal safety regulations.

“Big D Builders’ blatant disregard for federal safety regulations cost the lives of three workers and left at least eight others with painful injuries,” said OSHA Field Director David Kearns.

Meridian, Idaho-based Big D Builders said in an emailed statement Monday that it would not comment on the report or its findings because of the ongoing investigation. lawsuit filed by the families of two construction workers who were killed.

Federal inspectors said the company began construction of the hangar without sufficient reinforcement or tensioned ropes and ignored numerous signs of structural instability and sagging.

“The company’s irresponsible construction methods left the aircraft hangar structure extremely vulnerable to damage,” Kearns said.

The private hangar at the Boise airport was still under construction when collapsed due to strong winds January 31. The families of Mario Sontaya and Mariano Coca filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court against Big D Builders, Steel Building Systems, Inland Crane and Speck Steel, seeking unspecified monetary damages.

Sontay, 32, and Coc, 24, had been working on the hangar for six days when the massive metal structure collapsed. They had been sent to the hangar from another construction site by Big D Builders because the shell of the building was supposed to be completed by the end of January, according to the lawsuit. Big D Builders co-owner Craig Durrant, 59, also died when the structure collapsed.

OSHA has previously issued citations to the company for fall hazard violations.

A federal agency fined Inland Crane Inc. more than $10,000 for continuing construction of a hangar despite apparent structural problems.

Inland Crane did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment from The Associated Press. But it previously said in response to the lawsuit that neither the company nor its employees were at fault.