Major flight delays at O’Hare due to burst pipe at air traffic control tower

A burst pipe at O’Hare’s International Airport’s busiest air traffic control tower caused delays for thousands of passengers Tuesday.

The problem started early in the morning at O’Hare’s main tower. Air traffic controllers were relocated to two other towers at the airport, Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Crystal Essiaw said.

A total of 815 flights were delayed between 5 p.m. Monday and 5 p.m. Tuesday, the Chicago Department of Aviation reported. Arrivals were hardest hit, with 459 delays compared to 356 in departures,

The average delay was 82 minutes in the morning. That was down to 15 minutes as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, officials said.

The FAA did not immediately provide a cause for the pipe break.