Willis Tower – When the lights went out. On January 11, 2020, Chicago’s iconic Willis Tower—once the tallest building in the world—was plunged into darkness. A mechanical failure caused a sudden power outage, disrupting elevators, lights, and observation decks for nearly an hour. Visitors were temporarily stuck, with some trapped inside elevators high above the city. Backup generators restored power swiftly, and no injuries were reported. But the incident raised larger questions about the resili