Dave Erlebach said he wept when he learned of the fatal collapse of an aircraft hangar under construction near the Boise Airport. He was so moved by the tragedy that he spearheaded an effort to launch a fund for the victims and their families.

Three people died in the collapse on Jan. 31. Nine more were injured.

“I could only imagine the scene that took place when that building collapsed,” Erlebach, president of Industrial Builders in Caldwell, told the Idaho Statesman. He has worked in construction for over 35 years.

“Even though you might feel bad about it, that doesn’t help pay mortgages, and it doesn’t help with hospital bills and that type of thing,” he said. “So we said, ‘How can we help these families?’ And that’s when we started making a few phone calls.”

He and other construction and business leaders in Boise announced Wednesday the “Rebuilding Together” fund, which has so far raised $100,000 to support the victims, with $50,000 from Erlebach and $50,000 from Richard Phillips at Republic Storage, a Boise company.

Half that sum has been delivered already, and other half is expected to be sent in the next day or so.

Mark Johnson, retired KTVB anchor, volunteered to lead a news conference about the fund Thursday at the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce, where he made a call to action.

“This is just the start,” Johnson said. “We want this to become something huge.”

He said Big D Builders, the Meridian contractor working to build the hangar, has already covered the cost to send the bodies of two men killed in the collapse — Mario Sontay Tzi, 32, and Mariano “Alex” Coc Och, 24, both from Guatemala — back to their loved ones. An attorney for their families said Feb. 9 that it’s their top priority.

Craig Durrant, 59, was also killed in the collapse. He was one of the founders of Big D Builders.

Organizers of the fund are holding a dinner and auction to raise additional money. The event is scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m. SaturdayMarch 2, at BanBury Golf Course in Eagle. Tickets cost $250 a person. All of the proceeds will go to the victims and their families, the organizers said. The fund has a website where people can donate.

“Our community and our state was built on the pioneer spirit of neighbors helping neighbors,” Johnson said. “When tragedy strikes, this community comes together and rallies, coming to the aid of those most affected. And this is one of those times.”

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