Fire breaks out in downtown Chicago high-rise office building [View All]

Monday, December 6, 2000

(12-06) 17:48 PST CHICAGO (AP) --

A fire broke out in a downtown office high-rise Monday evening, sending flames shooting from upper-story windows as workers scrambled for safety.

Rescue workers could be seen treating some people at the scene of the fire, but there was immediate word of injuries from officials.

The fire was reported about 6:30 p.m. at the LaSalle Bank building in Chicago's loop, said police Officer JoAnn Taylor. She said she believed the fire was on the 29th floor.

Tom Smith, a lawyer who worked in the building, said a firefighter escorted him to safety in a freight elevator after smoke in a stairway turned him back.

...

In October 2003, a 35-story building owned by Cook County caught fire, killing six people. A state-funded investigation concluded in September that the deaths could have been prevented if there had been sprinklers and unlocked stairwells, and if firefighters had searched for victims sooner and kept out smoke and heat.
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/12/06/national2048EST0764.DTL

High-Rise Fire Reported In Loop

One woman who works on the 40th floor spoke with NBC5 after she escaped from the building. She said she made her way in a stairwell to the 35th floor, where the smoke became too much for her. The woman said firefighters were able to rescue her and several others.

"The announcement said the fire was on the 29th floor, and it said for us to stay still and not to move," another woman who escaped from the building said. "We decided to just leave, despite the instructions."

Another man, who was on the 29th floor, said he did not hear a fire alarm, but saw and smelled smoke.

"I did not hear a fire alarm, I saw smoke and I immediately went down to the lobby," the man said. "The first people who came down did not hear a fire alarm, we just saw smoke."
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6663935/


Rescues, Injuries Reported In Downtown High-Rise Fire

Flames could be seen shooting from windows on an upper floor, and witnesses reported that people were trapped inside and could be seen leaning out of upper-floor windows.

To check on people who may have been inside the building, call the city information number at (312) 743-INFO.

Within half an hour, firefighters began carrying people out of the building on stretchers. Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said at least 12 people were transported to hospitals, but he said none of the injuries appeared life-threatening. Eight of the injuries were reportedly related to smoke inhalation.

The building is the LaSalle National Bank Building, which is a 45-story building built in 1934 -- before sprinklers were required on every floor in high-rises.

The Chicago 911 center told NBC5 that there were initial reports of people on the 26th, 27th, 30th and 34th floors.
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http://www.nbc5.com/news/3976109/detail.html?z=dp&dpswid=2265994&dppid=65193