Elgin Tower building safe, officials say

The Elgin Tower Building, the tallest in the city's downtown, is safe despite not adhering to all fire and life-safety codes, city and fire officials said.

"We found a low level of concern of the persons occupying the Tower Building at this time," said Jerry Deering, director of the city's community development department.

Deering said his department and the fire department evaluated the tower, located at 100 E. Chicago Street, and noted the materials, such as concrete encased steel beams and concrete floors, were nonflammable.

A 2006 review failed to take that, along with the building's landmark status and a new review, into account, he said.

"My question is, is it safe?" asked Councilman Robert Gilliam.

"Yes," Deering replied.

Deering's report this week was prompted by recently elected City Councilman Richard Dunne, who used to serve as the city's fire marshal, voicing concern that the tower building, along with the Professional Building at 164 Division St., failed to comply with fire codes and life safety codes.

Dunne noted that the city of Chicago had to pay out massive financial settlements stemming from the October 2003 fire in the Cook County Building that killed six people.

Although Elgin does not own either building, Dunne is worried that if something bad happens, the city could be on the hook for damages in a civil court if it was shown it didn't enforce its laws.

"The (tower) structure itself probably won't burn, but the contents inside can and more people die from smoke inhalation than fire (itself). That's what I'm worried about," said Dunne, who still serves on the city's fire department and ran for his seat on a public safety platform.

Dunne said when fire broke out in the towerin 1972, someone literally had to run up and down its halls to tell others because there was no centralized fire alarm system.

"You could be on the 15th floor (today) and have a fire on the third floor and not know about it," he said.

A private firm's independent review of both buildings in 2006 indicated that some areas of each building needed more fire alarms and sprinkler systems.