Thousands sent home early from work

This story was originally published on Sept. 11, 2001.

Buildings across Illinois were evacuated and all flights canceled as authorities in Illinois took a host of precautions this morning after two planes crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack.

Police said there were bomb threats at the Sears Tower, John Hancock, Lakeview High School and a Dominick’s.

Police Supt. Terry Hillard increased police presence in the Loop and at airports and ordered all on-duty Chicago police officers in the Loop and at the airports to wear their uniforms to heighten their visibility, spokesman Dave Bayless said.

Hillard was expected to meet with federal authorities Tuesday morning, Bayless said.

The Daley Center was closed as a precaution and employees working at the Sears Tower were ordered to leave at 9:26 a.m., said security guard Leroy Brown.

Thousands of people streamed out of the Sears Tower Tuesday morning, some people clutching computer hard-drives. People lined up across Franklin street and stared up at the building. Cars raced out of nearby parking garages.

A woman who works for a Thoma Cressey, a venture capital firm on the 92nd floor, left early after receiving calls from friends.

“It’s a target with a big bullseye,” she said. “You hear of attacks elsewhere and it’s just not worth it to stay.”

Sgt. Edward Richards said police had a received a bomb threat targeting the 95-story John Hancock Center. All businesses and residents were evacuated.

“We’re trying to keep cars away from the perimeter, especially unattended cars, in case we have to get emergency vehicles in here and in case it [contains] something we don’t want it to,” Richards said.

A host of other businesses and public buildings closed. All public museums closed. The Field Museum shut down even though officials did not believe the building was under immediate threat, a spokeswoman said.

A security guard at the State Capitol Building in Springfield was turning people away at the door and workers were evacuated. The Thompson center in Chicago The Stratton Office building remained open Tuesday morning.

Tonight’s game between the White Sox and New York Yankees in Yankee Stadium was canceled.

The reversible lanes on the Kennedy were set for outbound traffic at 10 a.m., about an hour earlier than normal.

An IDOT official said it was “for the city to escape.” Construction on the expressway was halted for the day.

Classes were canceled at DePaul University.

The city opened its emergency command center in the 911 building at 1411 W. Madison where the Chicago police, federal authorities and other officials planned to meet to coordinate their response to the terrorist attacks on the East Coast, said David Bayless, spokesman for the Chicago police.

Bayless said he knew of no bonafide terrorist threats in Chicago.

“There is a constant assessment of threats here,” he said.

Contributing: Dave McKinney, Frank Main, Kate Grossman, Gary Wisby, Brenda Warner Rotzoll