Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed Friday after a contract employee allegedly set fire to a Federal Aviation Administration facility near Chicago.
Passengers wait in line at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.
According to FlightAware.com, more than 1,500 flights departing or arriving at O'Hare International Airport, one of the world's busiest airports, were canceled. Hundreds of other flights arriving or departing from Chicago Midway were also affected.
Still no air traffic above 10,000 feet in Chicago ATC. 240+ flights canceled to/from O'Hare & Midway airports.
Airtran FL218 is probably the first & only flight that has departed from Midway today http://t.co/PNj4R9miof #ATCFire
Emergency crews extinguished the fire at the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center early Friday morning. Authorities believe a man found in the basement with self-inflicted wounds started the fire.
The police have ruled out terrorism. "This is a local issue with a contract employee and nothing else," said Aurora Police Chief Greg Thomas.
The man was transported to an Aurora hospital with burns all over his body along with self-inflicted knife wounds, a federal law enforcement officer told ABC News. "It sounds like the fire was intentionally set," the official said, adding that it did not look like an attack on the facility.
The building was evacuated and air traffic management was directed to other control centers.