Attacks Prompt LA Office Closures

LOS ANGELES-Many Downtown office towers and most government buildings here were evacuated and shut down Tuesday as a precaution against more terrorist attacks.

The buildings were shuttered after two planesat least one of them hijackedcrashed into New York’s twin-towered World Trade Center and destroyed both buildings. Additional terrorist attacks were reported in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

Fueling local concerns, at least one of the planes that flew into the World Trade Center was bound for Los Angeles. The Los Angeles International Airport was expected to remain closed at least until Tuesday afternoon, and perhaps until Wednesday.

The Downtown buildings that were closed Tuesday included the 2-million-sf Arco Plaza and the city’s tallest building, Maguire Partners’ Library Tower.

“We evacuated all four of our buildings, which represents about 20,000 employees, at about 8:15 this morning,” says Maguire Partners spokeswoman Peggy Morretti. Company officials will decide late this afternoon when the buildings will re-open, she adds.

Nearly all government offices, including City Hall and the giant Ronald Reagan State Office Building, also were closed. Downtown streets were clogged with traffic, as thousands of workers arrived at their jobs in mid-morning just as thousands more were being sent home for the day.