DALLAS, Ga.,None — Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport is closed indefinitely, following severe damage to planes and facilities from Friday night storms and a possible tornado, events that have left one airport employee shocked and saddened.
"I'm blow away actually, shocked." airport worker Junie Walton said.
Channel 2's Tom Regan was the first news reporter to survey the damage. Fierce winds flipped and tossed a half dozen planes in front of the terminal, which had roof and window damage. A large multi-unit hanger was ripped apart. Inside, a $1.2 million Citation jet was knocked by on its tail. Many other smaller private planes were also damaged.
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"Pretty much all the aircraft on the airfield are damaged. It appears 19 out of the 23 are totaled." airport official Blake Swafford said.
Swafford made a preliminary damage estimate of $7 million, including aircraft and facilities. The powerful winds carried sheet metal and other debris as far as a half mile. Swafford said it was impossible to predict when the airport when the airport can reopen.
"The airport will remain closed until we've secured everything and made sure there's not anything that would damage aircraft coming in and taking off." said Swafford.
The county airport opened in 2008, with it's terminal and hanger completed in 2010. Only two weeks ago, another larger hanger under construction collapsed. The cause is under investigation.
There were no employees at the airport when the storm struck.
"It's such a beautiful terminal and place to work. But I guess we can rebuild. That's a good thing. Thankfully no one was hurt." Walton said.