Blackout sparks UN evacuation

Herald Sun ^ | 20 September 2005

[Aussie Dasher]

A POWER outage at United Nations headquarters disrupted the General Assembly session today, forcing the evacuation of the main building and foreign ministers of the world's five most powerful countries to change their luncheon venue.

The power failure, caused by an electrical malfunction in a switch generating unit in the 39-floor secretariat building, led UN security to order all staff except essential personnel and those supporting operations of the General Assembly to evacuate the main glass tower.

UN chief Kofi Annan and the foreign ministers of the UN Security Council's five permanent members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - had to switch their scheduled luncheon from a restaurant on the 38th executive floor to the delegates' lounge on the fourth floor.

But operations of the General Assembly were not affected as the session was taking place in an adjacent building.

Journalists were allowed to stay in their offices in the main building to cover the assembly proceedings.

But some reporters who were outside the building when the electricity malfunction occurred were prevented from returning.

Mr Annan was continuing his bilateral meetings with foreign dignitaries in the General Assembly building, UN spokesmen Stephane Dujarric said.

The outage affected computer and elevator operations.

The main glass building dates back to 1945 when the UN was created and there are plans to renovate it beginning 2007.

[Aussie Dasher]

Any chance of making this a permanent arrangement?

[A CA Guy]

If they can repeat this for ten years, we may get more peace on earth.

[vger]

Did da mayor call for this evacuation?

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Heaven forbid! They certainly couldn’t miss their lunch could they? It was no doubt the most important part of their useless day.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Should have hit them with parking ticket charges the moment they came out.

Any chance they could make it a permament evacuation and we could use the real estate for something that's actually useful?

[w1andsodidwe]

Evacuation?

Was there enough water and food for the refugees?

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Shockdenfreude, noun, as in



Haha, the electrical power was out...

[HHKrepublican]

The main glass building dates back to 1945 when the UN was created and there are plans to renovate it beginning 2007.


...Correction, should read The main glass building dates back to 1945 when the UN was created and there are plans to detonate it beginning 2007.

[Freebird Forever]

Should have hit them with parking ticket charges the moment they came out.

Or a Ma Duce.

[Political Junkie Too]

Did they all loot the cafeterias again?

Food Fight at the U.N

-PJ

[NYTexan]

LOL, sorta like when cockroaches scurry when the lights go on!

[varyouga]

"UN chief Kofi Annan and the foreign ministers of the UN Security Council's five permanent members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - had to switch their scheduled luncheon from a restaurant on the 38th executive floor to the delegates' lounge on the fourth floor."

It's a quagmire! Get the UN out of the UN, NOW! Where's the exit strategy?

[Chode]

HA ha...

[mware]

LOL, someone didn't pay the rent.

[anymouse]

Bush's fault. ;)

Blackout sparks UN evacuation

For a moment there I thought that Annan had stepped down and the rest of the global cabal jumped ship as well. One can wish. :)

[Hawk1976]

So all we have to do is turn off the lights and they'll go away? Brilliant!

[clee1]

That would be my vote.

[Holicheese]

Oh my god, the lights went out, RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!