Overview
- A water pipe burst inside O'Hare's main air traffic control tower shortly after 1 a.m., prompting an evacuation of controllers.
- Controllers initially worked from an off-site facility before shifting to the airport's south and north towers to maintain operations.
- The FAA implemented a ground delay program just after 2 a.m., and the main tower later reopened, easing constraints into the night.
- Nearly 900 flights were delayed across Tuesday, according to the FAA and airport reports, while cancellations stayed low at about 15.
- The FAA is investigating the cause of the pipe failure and assessing whether any air traffic control equipment was damaged.