Posted on 12/06/2004 5:15:28 PM PST by GRRRRR
A high rise in the Chicago Loop at 135 S. LaSalle has at least one floor on fire. Live shots show a raging fire through the windows.
This is the LaSalle Bank Building. Began just after 1830h.
G
They are showing a firefighter with a flashlight on the 30th floor. The flames have died down tremendously. Looks like they may be able to make progress. They are also fighting from 3 roofs.
They finally have gotten water directed at 30 from outside. It has really damped the fire down. You can see shadows of firefighters passing back and forth on 30.
OMG, I grew up in Ingleside (not far from Round Lake Beach).
That's what I was wondering too. At what % of firefighters utilized do they call for backup, to cover the rest of the city?
They simply don't know.
That's good news.
Nobody knows for sure. Fog of war. A lot of folks are out, but there may well be areas the firemen haven't been able to reach.
Fervent prayer would be a very good idea about now.
From Round Lake Beach?? Geesh, I wonder how many other suburban units are there?
Several people have posted about the possibility of the structure collapsing. No skyscrapers other than WTC have ever collapsed as far as I know. That was obviously a different situation than a normal building fire.
Let's not see everything through the prism of 9/11.
Nobody is going to be back working inside that building for a long time.
2-3 weeks minimum.
NBC5 reported that this building will be closed tomorrow.(duh!) All other LaSalle locations will be open.
[There went your fire day . . .]
They've already announced at minimum the building will be closed tomorrow.
I think it'll be longer than 2-3 weeks. The Cook County building was closed for 3+ months if I remember right. The LaSalle Bank Building is considerably larger (takes up an entire city block in length, 3/4 of a block in width) than the Cook County building.
My point in my post was that this is an old building, and that that is GOOD news. They were heavily over-engineered in the early days, a big safety factor built in because building this high was still relatively new. Construction methods used tons more steel than is used nowadays, and the frame of the building is extremely heavy and rigid. It probably wouldn't melt even with the liberal application of jet fuel.
As long as everyone gets out alive.
My "fire" day will likely be spent in meetings with business process people going through business resumption exercizes.
What you post is correct but it's also hard to do. Once we would see people trapped 9 stories up and be confident that if they wet towels by doors etc they would be ok until the fire out. Now it's a "hurry" feeling. We saw the towers collapse and know that jet fuel and maybe explosives brought them down but you still keep it in the back of your mind, I think.
I would assume they've shut off electricity to the building...?
They were saying on channel 2 that they had been in the process of retrofitting the building with sprinklers, but only made it through the 2nd floor.
Actually, no. There are lights on all floors except those consumed by the flames.
Jet Fuel, Yes. Explosives, No.
No, apparently the main supply is still intact.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.