Scaffolding Accident in Chicago

Fox News(Local) | 3-9-2002

[ChicagoRepublican]

There was a scaffolding accident at the John Hanckock building at 201 E. Chestnut Street. It smashed a car. The wind is extremely STRONG here.

[nopardons]

Stay safe !

My daughter had just finished lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, with friends, when this happened. I got an eyewitness report , on the phone, from her. It is just horrid !

[nopardons]

My daughter got married at Fourth Pres.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Thanks for your concern. Yes, we were driving on the local highways out of necessity today and once we were almost "gusted" into the next lane over by the crosswind coming straight out of the west (where's Dorothy?! :-).

It's fierce out here today. I can understand how this scaffolding came down, for sure. After we got back from our trip to the other side of suburbia today, I pulled the car into our attached garage today and closed the garage door (with the remote) before we actually got out of the car to go inside. This is not my usual habit, since I usually hit the button to close the garage door by the door going into the back hall. I did this because when we were loading the car this morning, the garage door was open and the huge gust of wind blew the back door open hard and hit one of my kids, and also chilled the kitchen down in very short order. Not fun, for sure.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Yeah, me too! This is a Canadian/arctic wind that came in with a noticeable cloud "front" across the sky. I was cleaning out the car pretty early this morning and had no need to have coat on then. By 2pm, I'm back to wearing my down coat! Yikes!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Please elaborate on why the scaffolding was there in the first place - repairs? General maintenance? Window washing?

[Mr_Magoo]

Would be glad to . . .

:-)

[Mr_Magoo]

According to channel 7 it was up for maintanance work during the week.

[Barnacle]

very windy here..50-60 MPH all day

I exposed my bare hands for five minutes to secure a campaign sign and my fingers are still tingling two hours later.

[cmsgop]

Did You Pay $7.50 for a Coors Light? LOL!

[KS Flyover]

Cars sit mangled on Michigan Avenue at the base of the John Hancock Building, after
a scaffolding from the landmark skyscraper fell onto the busy downtown street crushing
cars and leaving three people dead and four others critically injured Saturday, March 9,
2002, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Stephen J. Carrera)

Scaffolding dangles from the 43rd floor of the John Hancock
Building, March 9th, 2002, in Chicago. Scaffolding from the
landmark skyscraper fell onto a busy downtown street,
crushing cars and leaving three people dead and four others
critically injured, a Fire Department spokesman said.
(AP Photo/Stephen J. Carrera)

[BJungNan]

Should have used bamboo.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

No beer, but I do think it was more like $6 for a glass of the house wine!!!!! But of course in that place you're not paying for the true cost of the booze - you're paying for the high-priced real estate and the view :-]!!!!!!!!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Oh dear God - pictures............

[cmsgop]

So True,......After that we got a Cab To Rush ST. and paid .50 cents for a 12oz Beer. I Love Chi- Town!!!!

[scholar]

My nephew makes his living going up the side of those buildings to replace the crumbling fascia. Glad he's on sick leave.

[RedWing9]

I was driving my truck home, and I had both hands on the wheel at all times.

Just got back from a round trip to Naperville, same thing for me in my Explorer...

[usconservative]

Yeah, but watching that garbage truck go over onto it's side while driving down I-55 was a hell of a sight. Literally STOOD on the brakes with both feet to keep from getting involved in that one.

It happened near I-55 and LaGrange Road (Rt. 45) and blocked all three southbound lanes. It'll probably be on the news tonight.

[proudofthesouth]

Didn't the local weathermen predict the winds? Any idea why the scaffold wasn't taken down for the weekend? Surely it can't cost that much to take it down. (Verus what they will have to pay for the damages now).

[tigerlady]

The John Hancock Center has been undergoing extensive exterior renovation. tuckpointing, steam cleaning, etc., for more than a year. There are several scaffolding units on the building at all times. These are huge units, much bigger and heavier than those used for window-washing. Normally the units are tied securely when the workers are not working, but the winds today were just impossible. I believe the units were tied down at the 43rd floor, although there apparently are conflicting reports on that. However, I was able to see one of the scaffolds that was swinging in the wind this afternoon, swinging as if it was made of cardboard, and it was at the 43rd floor.

I also saw the other scaffolds which had fallen to the street level including the one which had fallen on the cars. It is a horrible sight! The scaffolds all broke many windows in the building, causing glass and other debris to rain down on the street and pavement. The windows in the Hancock are very very thick and heavy, so much damage was created.

Tonight, six hours after the accident, the residents of the building are still restricted on going out and coming in. The winds are still high, and some debris is still flying around. No cars are permitted in or out of the garage, and a number of areas in the building are totally inaccessible. It is such a sad day here. We mourn for the families of the injured and those who did not survive. It all happened so quickly!

[ValerieUSA]

Thank you for the on-the-scene report. Stay safe and thank God you're fine.
Those poor people in the crushed cars probably never knew what hit them. I can't imagine an injury from that accident not being instantly fatal. The people in critical condition have an awful ordeal ahead to recover.