(Newswire.net — September 29, 2014) — Up to 20 people have been evacuated from the air traffic control facility where the blaze broke out. A man with “self-inflicted” wounds was found at the scene of the incident and all flights halted at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
The fire, which broke out in the basement of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) radar facility in Aurora, Illinois, is now reportedly under control. All inbound and outbound flights at both O’Hare and Midway International Airport were suspended.
Aurora spokesman Dan Ferrelli said firefighters and police officers first responded to reports of a fire in the basement of the facility at 5:45 a.m local time. Ferrelli told CBS Chicago a man suffering from burns and self-inflicted knife wounds was found in the basement. The person, a contract employee, is believed to have set the fire intentionally. The nature of his wounds suggest the employee was attempting to commit suicide. The individual was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Another person is also being treated for smoke inhalation.
Authorities have ruled out terrorism as a motive.
“This is just a local issue with a contract employee,” CBS 2 cites Aurora Police Chief Greg Thomas as saying.
As reported, half a dozen fire trucks and at least 3 ambulances were dispatched to the scene, along with several police vehicles. Despite the urgent response, no flames or smoke were seen from outside the building. Fire crews have been seen entering and exiting the building, though no fire hoses have been deployed on the buildings exterior.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the cause of the incident.
Friday’s blaze is the second time since May that a fire at one of the Chicago area’s major control facilities forced a ground stop at O’Hare and Midway international airports.
Earlier this week, O-Hare regained its title as the world’s busiest airport. According to the FAA, more than 580,000 flights departed or landed at O’Hare from January to August.
“O’Hare isn’t just the busiest airport in the world, it’s an asset for the City of Chicago,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said on Wednesday. “These new gains will help us attract new businesses and solidify our place as the best connected city in the US and around the world.”
The facility in Aurora is said to house some of the most sophisticated radar equipment in the United States. Controllers at the facility handle nearly 3 million flight operations a year over a span of 5 states, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin.