Flights at Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports were grounded after a fire broke out at the air traffic control center.
One person was injured in the fire at the Federal Aviation Administration facility in Aurora, Illinois and fire crews were on scene until 8 a.m., according to the Chicago Tribune.
According to FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Cory, the fire has forced air traffic controllers to give control over to “adjacent air traffic facilities.”
For travelers the chaos will likely spread quickly across the country. Already 150 flights at the Chicago O’Hare Airport were cancelled, according to FlightAware.com, a flight-tracking site. And dozens of other flights heading for Chicago will be diverted to other airports.
Ground stop for flights in & out of O'Hare & Midway due to fire activity at FAA control center in Aurora. pic.twitter.com/t7XhpUaRdt
— Jeanette Hudson (@JHudsontraffic) September 26, 2014
@aharleyTV customer service is a madhouse here! Everyone is trying to rebook their cancelled flights. #Chicago #OHare pic.twitter.com/rUlLA1GRnJ
— Katelyn Darrow (@KatelynDarrow) September 26, 2014
Crazy to see a giant hole around the #Chicago area due to the ATC fire: http://t.co/8npWbd7Nir #ohare #midway pic.twitter.com/foC6mpMMpU
— Justin Abraham (@jjabraham) September 26, 2014
