Flights Halted at Both Chicago Airports Due to Fire at FAA Radar Facility - Arson to Blame

CHICAGO (CBS) – Flights at both Chicago airports have been halted Friday morning, due to a fire at Federal Aviation Administration radar facility in Aurora. Emergency crews found a man with self-inflicted wounds while putting out the fire.

A ground stop was in place at O’Hare International and Midway International airports as a result of the fire. Flights headed into both airports were being diverted to other airports, while flights departing the airports were being delayed.

Aurora spokesman Dan Ferrelli said, at about 5:45 a.m., firefighters and police officers responded to reports of a fire in the basement of the FAA Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center at 619 Indian Trail Road.

Flights Halted at Both Chicago Airports Due to Fire at FAA Radar Facility - Arson to Blame

Seems that arson is to blame at this point. They're not calling it "terrorism" right now, but the tone is set for it to possibly be called terrorism since ISIS has made threats already.

The person who did it is in custody, so we'll learn more after he is interviewed.


Another link alleging possible arson:

Possible that Chicago FAA fire intentionally set: NBC



From the looks of it right now, it could very well be classified as a terrorist act. If it is and this person turns out to be an ISIS sympathizer, look out for even stronger security measures everywhere for the foreseeable future.

In the mean time, flights aren't due to start moving again until at least 10am CDT (GMT-5).

a reply to: _BoneZ_

I just watched this on CNN and they didn't so much as hint to terrorism yet.
Makes me wonder. . .

Why would they burn down a radar tower?
Is this a step A to a larger plot?

I don't see the connection yet other then having lots of people stuck in O'Hare, which could be unfortunate if taken advantage of, but it still seems a bit of a stretch.

Ferrelli said a man was found in the basement, suffering from self-inflicted wounds, though he had not been shot. The man was taken to an Aurora hospital for treatment. ATF spokesman Tom Ahern said the man suffered burns and self-inflicted knife wounds.

And what's up with this guy???

CNN reporting 2 injuries...one a self-inflicted suicide attempt. Cuts to the wrist.

a reply to: AnteBellum

Sounds like he set the fire, then tried to kill himself with maybe a knife, but failed? Either way, the disruption to flights has been significant so far with hundreds of flights cancelled or delayed across the country.

Just 300 flights alone were cancelled by 7:30am.

a reply to: AnteBellum

Why would they burn down a radar tower?

Maybe its like the 2003 Canberra fires that destroyed the Mount Stromlo observatory.
That one was started nearby by lightning (according to the media).

Are they even sure the arsonist was targeting the radar?

a reply to: AnteBellum

This was at an ARTCC and not a radar tower. The facility is where ATC controls en-route flights. Just to clarify.

Given my position within the FAA, if i hear of anything I will try and post...

a reply to: ownbestenemy

Through internal channels.... rumor is thqt ATF is on the scene.... Will try and get some verifiable info on this.

ETA: no confirmation on my end about ATF, but reports are that the person found with "self-inflicted no gunshot" wounds was a contractor and not an FAA employee. Still internal channel info though and I think one news report says the same thing.

a reply to: ownbestenemy

Thanks OBE, the report wasn't clear.

Isn't the ARTCC an area control tower that sends the appropriate signals to all the jets?

a reply to: AnteBellum

AN ARTCC (Air Route Traffic Control Center) handles flights between airports. It does not handle approach control or departures. Once an airplane has left the airports immediate airspace, it is handed off to the ARTCC for flight information and advisements.

Bishop

a reply to: AnteBellum

We call them "centers" and they are responsible for controlling traffic in and out of areas between airports or over flights (high flyers).

They are the "stop-gaps" between destinations, so to speak....

a reply to: Bishop2199
a reply to: ownbestenemy

Thanks for the answers I couldn't remember, it's been a long time since I've been in one of my dad's plane's.

Understanding the upside down wedding cake, various landing approach booklet thing and radio operation/frequencies always were the hardest part of flying for me.

a reply to: ownbestenemy

Are these facilities manned then, and if so, were there any fatalities or injuries besides the failed suicide?

It seems to me that if a terror outfit wanted rid of a facility, and they had a person who could access it readily enough to set a fire there, that they would have just had the fellow detonate a big packet of C4 or some other similar blasting mixture, rather than set a fire. Fire, although somewhat predictable, is a hell of a lot easier to counter than a fat dose of overpressure, and it seems to me also that the method of suicide chosen by the person that was found at the scene, is not conducive to that which I have come to expect from terrorist conspirators.

Again, one would assume that it would have been more effective for the suspect to have set off a bomb, perhaps one with an incendiary component, as well as an initial blast. That would have been a far more rapid suicide for him, and a much surer way of destroying the facility, if indeed that was the intention.

I do not suppose, that there is any chance that this chap was not a terrorist, but a nutbar, trying to shut down the towers radio communications, having mistaken their bandwidth for the source of the voices in his head?

This incident just looks a little...careless to me, when compared with the meticulous planning I ordinarily associate with high impact terror plots.

originally posted by: ownbestenemy
Through internal channels.... rumor is thqt ATF is on the scene.... Will try and get some verifiable info on this.

The first link I posted also states that ATF is on the scene as well.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Yes they are manned. Personally, of my own opinion, it wasnt terrorism. Starting to sound like either a disgruntled contractor or a careless accident...but time and more information will tell.

a reply to: ownbestenemy

Why would ATF agents be on the scene?

There is no link here to alcohol, tobacco, or firearms!

a reply to: TrueBrit

I believe they are technically now ATFE...with the E meaning explosives. My guess since it is a federal facility, they were brought in as precautionary.

They are also responsible for arson according to their website...... Www.atf.gov

a reply to: ownbestenemy

Right, gotcha.

I hope that whatever the cause of this incident, that the situation is resolved to the point where the damage done is reversed, and that if there is any validity to the concerns surrounding terrorism, that any potential links are fully investigated, and instigators and planners are arrested.

According to my wife who works at an airport, the man was attempting to commit suicide by lighting himself on fire which is what caused the fire in the control tower.

I'm surprised this didn't get more attention but maybe there's more than one thread?

Anyway, here is an update....

He was a Navy Vet, 36, no criminal record.

Around the same time this fire was set, a flight from Poland to Chicago was diverted to Scotland.

Strange timing with things.

Southwest cancelled all their flights today but a few flights are getting out. You think they could have back-up working again. At least enough to have traffic handling close to normal flows.

My theory is this was no coincidence. I'm guessing there was some plot found on the Poland to Chicago flight and they had to cancel all flights.

a reply to: sputniksteve

Again to clarify, not a control tower....it was at an ARTCC(Air Route Control Center)

Just for accuracy