Buildings Evacuated in Delaware Due to Crack

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) -- Thousands of workers were evacuated from three downtown buildings Friday after a crack that stretched eight stories was discovered in an office tower, city officials said.

The crack was discovered in the 17-story Bank One building, said John Rago, a spokesman for Mayor James Baker.

The crack in the facade wall ran from the ninth floor to the 17th floor, said Lt. Rick Yancey of the Wilmington Fire Marshal's Office.

Wilmington Fire Department Battalion Chief Joe Kalinowski told WILM-AM it was about an inch wide.

About 1,200 people were evacuated from that building, 3,500 from the New Castle County Courthouse across the street and 500 people from another nearby building owned by Bank One, Rago said.

Engineers were working with the management and owners of the building, looking at blueprints to determine what the problem was, Rago said.

``Preliminary indications are that we are looking at a possible facade problem,'' Rago said.

The building, also called One Christina Center, was completed in 1990.