Six people dead, others trapped in Chicago office building building fire

Associated Press ^ | 10-17-03

[Pee_Oui]

Gee, not a "Jackson" I hope...

D

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..the 35-story Cook County administration building...

...of Blues Brothers fame?

[Rollee]

This is a very sad story. My sister works in that building but was not at work today. My hearts go out to the families of the poor people who didn't make it. Situations where people go to work and die there are very disturbing to me, especially after September 11th.

This isn't the building that was in the Blues Brothers movie, but it is across from Daley plaza and the County building. When the Blues Brothers movie was filmed, this building was privately owned.

[Musket]

Posted here too.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

hello Rollee,

sorry to hear of your distress. Please don't think I meant to make light of this horrible tragedy. Cheers, By

[Musket]

I posted this in the other thread at post #121 but I'm posting it here too in case you ever find yourself in such a situation you'll know what to expect.

I often use the stairwells for exercise - usually against building rules - but they can bite me. I put a pair of pliers in the door to keep it open while I exercise. I've worked in old tall buildings and new tall buildings.

Once you're in that stairwell you CANNOT get out. The doors on these stairwells only open INTO the stairwell - NOT out. I think buildings do this to keep thieves out, but the downside is - dead people in the stairwell.

These people went down a moderately or non smoky stairwell, got so far down and realised that they couldn't go any further 'cause the smoke was too thick, couldn't get out on whatever floor they were on - so they just suffocated right there. Newer buildings have key card readers or intercoms to security guards at each door to let people exit the stairwell, the older buildings do not, they only lock.

A very unsafe situation indeed and it needs to be re-thought out.

[Jonx6]

ping