LaSalle Bank quickly responds to fire at headquarters

Northwestern Financial Review, Jan 1-Jan 14, 2005

Correspondent banking service employees, like most of those working in LaSaIIe Bank's other services, were back at work on Tuesday, Dec. 7, a day after a fire damaged the bank's 45-story building in downtown Chicago. Wayne Veselsky, who heads the bank's correspondent department, said the day following the fire the bank's employees were re-assigned offices in LaSaIIe branches throughout the Chicago area. By Wednesday afternoon, some 3,000 displaced employees all had access to email.

A fire broke out on the 29th floor of the building at about 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 6. The cause of the fire was undetermined as this issue went to press. The fire damaged the 29th and 30th floors, and caused smoke and water damage throughout the building. The bank's correspondent department is housed on the building's fifth floor. Local newspaper reports said 37 people were injured in the blaze, including 22 firelighters. It was reported that none of the bank's employees was seriously injured.

The City of Chicago Fire Department brought the blaze under control and by Thursday evening (Dec. 9) had returned control over the building back to LaSaIIe officials. The bank's street level retail branch re-opened for business on Monday, Dec. 13. Veselsky said that he expected his department to be back in its regular offices by the week of Dec. 20.

Veselsky said the bank's contingency plans worked very well. In addition, he said, LaSaIIe Bank received offers of help from other banks, including TCF Financial and Northern Trust.

The building is located at 135 LaSaIIe Street in Chicago's Loop business district. The $107 billion bank is a subsidiary of ABN Amro, which is based in the Netherlands.