The building was safe - on springs. The swaying up there (I had a window office) was really different than the liquifaction on the west side.
We were closed for the MLK holiday but I recall our boss chewing us out for not coming in and checking that everything was ok. Coming in over a freeway that had overpasses down. Now HE was nuts ;-)
The exit off one of the freeways on my road to work collapsed, but my boss wanted everyone there pronto - and then requested everyone stay until the next day.
People were walking around in shock.
I remember that our street was completely blocked at both ends but I don't recall what it was blocking us in. It could have been the light poles which came down. Some parked cars were also displaced into the middle of the street - that was interesting.
There was a three story building on my block which was reduced to about a level and a half if you include that the top floor had pushed the first floor into the parking garage 1/2 way. Yet LA Fire Dept. couldn't get down our street to rescue anyone because the street was blocked.
They finally parked a street away and walked over to the crushed building. Fortunately the owners were out of state on vacation.