Fire's aftermath

This is what currently remains of the historic Dexter building designed by Adler and Sullivan. The Chicago Landmark Commission called the loss "an irreplaceable link in the chain of work of one of the nation's most important architectural partnerships."

The fire of October 24 brought the roof down which then took out all six floors. The resulting building debris, filling the basement and the first floor, was found to be pushing out the walls. The city determined that the buidling had to be brought down in a controlled way before it came down on its own.