THE ROOF CAVED IN: Part of the ceiling collapses at Atlanta airport restaurant

Part of a restaurant ceiling collapsed inside Atlanta’s airport Thursday, leaving a large chunk of it draped over counter tops in the dining area. The collapse happened shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday in Concourse A, one of the closest concourses to the main domestic terminal, the airport said in a statement.

One person asked to be treated by emergency crews, airport officials said.

It appears that the ceiling was improperly attached, and there are now plans to review construction methods and design plans at other businesses inside the airport, said Tom Nissalke, the airport’s assistant general manager for planning and development.

At a Thursday briefing for reporters, Nissalke was asked whether the ceiling was “misattached.”

“Based on our review, that’s how it appears, yes,” he said.

Because of its weight, the structure has to be attached to the rigid roof deck, which is designed to hold the weight, he said.

“It was not attached to the roof deck, based on what we’ve seen thus far.”

He estimated that the chunk of ceiling that fell weighed 700 to 800 pounds (318 to 363 kilograms) and crashed down as customers dined inside the restaurant.

One customer requested emergency assistance, the statement said. The airport did not describe the nature of any injuries, but said the person was taken to a hospital by Atlanta Fire Rescue.

Photos on social media showed workers in orange vests inspecting the scene on one side of the fallen ceiling chunk, as airport travellers stood on the other side.

Airport officials were planning to release further details later Thursday during a briefing near the restaurant, Cat Cora’s Kitchen. Repairs and an investigation were underway.

Cat Cora’s Kitchen is one of several airport locations opened by celebrity chef Cat Cora, a Jackson, Mississippi native. In 2015, Cora became the first-ever female Iron Chef on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef America.” The company didn’t immediately respond to phone and email messages Thursday.

There was no impact on operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, authorities said. The airport calls itself the world’s busiest, averaging 275,000 passengers daily.