ngel Franco was covering a politician for The New York Times when the attacks started that morning. Twice is more than enough, he said, referring to 9/11 and the 1993 bombing of the Twin Towers. When the World Trade Center was attacked, Marty Lederhandler crossed the street from the Associated Press office at Rockefeller Center, took an elevator to the 65th floor of the General Electric building and photographed the blazing towers in the distance. While our new temporary space initially looked more like a warehouse than an office, it was wired for computer access and stocked with computers, supplies and telephones. Much of the ceiling had come down, and I could feel the breeze from blown out windows on the other side of the floor. I was stunned to see that tower two had collapsed. AP Photo/Suzanne Plunket Fires raged for hours and smoldered for days in the mass By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider I went in, and there was a small lobby where a few people were gathered, as confused as I was about what was happening.. Smoke was pouring out, and while I dont recall seeing much in the way of flames, it was clear that there was a raging fire going on inside the building. American Airlines Flight 77 had crashed into the Pentagon, killing 184 people. I went down the stairs and there was an E train going to Jamaica. I arrived for work that I found myself outside my office with a number of co-workers. McGraw had only been a priest for three months. I waited for about 30 minutes, but couldnt find any of my employees because there were hundreds of people leaving the area. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Thats where I saw wave after wave of New York City firemen rushing to get to the towers. (Photo: Reuters), A group of firefighters walk near the remains of the destroyed World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001. It was a bright, beautiful morning, and you could see seemingly forever out the floor to ceiling windows of the building. Firefighters raise a U.S. flag where the World Trade Center formerly stood on Sept. 11. Then there was another loud bang. I later found out that United Airlines Flight 175 had slammed into the southwest face of the tower, creating an impact hole that extended from the 78th to 84th floors. On Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, terrorists hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 and crashed the airliners into the North Tower and South Tower (respectively) of the World Trade Center complex in New York City. I try to live every day to the fullest, to honor their lives, and the lives of others who perished that day. As my group and I were approaching the exit one of my employees said, I have to go back; I forgot to turn off the coffee pot. He went back to the office while the rest of us continued to the exit that took us out by Seven World Trade Center. 2023 Getty Images. Judge had just administered last rites to a firefighter at the site. This is never before seen footage and has never been released. This website follows the DNPAs code of conduct. He believes some people react negatively because they can see themselves in that similar predicament. Its thought that upwards of 200 people either fell or jumped to their deaths after the planes hit the towers. It was then that my front office employees and I decided that we should evacuate the building even though an alarm had not gone off yet. I was head of technology for a financial information firm at the time. After finding the letter the lady was so upset that she called the Times to report what she found and asked if they could find out if I had survived. My route took me up West Broadway. But after September 11, 2001 things changed for the United States as well as for the people living there. My office was on 77 facing WTC1 (the north tower). Unfortunately, this is a day I will never forget. This Now famous photograph has becoe iconic and ispired an article and documentary movie. Found the internet! A minute later, Honda saw Borders and snapped a photo. After making these photos, I looked down at the small display screen and knew at that point I had made a picture that needed to be seen by the rest of the world.. It felt like being in the middle of hurricane. Subscribe to receive updates to the Employee Resources Blog, An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. At 10:28 a.m. the trade center's north tower collapsed and debris flattened the adjacent 5 World Trade Center building and buried the NYFD command post on West Street, killing many senior officials. WebHere are some of the haunting photos of the post tragedy photos from September 11 attack that sum up the tragedy. He later told me that I was speaking very quickly and not making much sense. The World Trade Centre officially opened in 1973 and became a top tourist attraction, welcoming 200,000 visitors a day alongside the 50,000 people who worked in the buildings. Time stood still as the crowd turned their attention back towards Lower Manhattan and witnessed (the collapse) in disbelief and horror, the photographer said. r/pics. The Webbs have stayed in touch with Piccirillo and her son over the years. The building management of 7 World Trade Center then decided to open the emergency exits to let everyone outside. I kept watching all through the night for any new developments. On Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers caught U.S. authorities by surprise with a bold attack on New York City's World Trade Center. I didnt realize how frightened I had been until I pulled my phone from my waist pack to try to call her son for her and my hand was shaking nearly uncontrollably.. I was with a colleague and my boss at the time. Photo has been taken by the New York City Police Department. WebThe building management of 7 World Trade Center then decided to open the emergency exits to let everyone outside. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Brett Roegiers, Sandra Stevenson and Bernadette Tuazon. I remember how incredibly loud it was: a crushing roar of steel and cement, of people screaming and the sound of their pounding footfalls frantically racing past me, photographer Amy Sancetta said. (Photo: AP), People covered in dust walk over debries near the World Trade Centre in New York City On September 11, 2001. After walking for almost an hour or so I finally made it to Penn Station. Sara K. Schwittek took this photo from the window of her office, across the East River in Brooklyn. The hijacked plane crashed about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh after first flying near Cleveland and then turning around. (Photo: AP), The remaining tower of New York's World Trade Center, Tower 2, dissolves in a cloud of dust and debris about a half hour after the first twin tower collapsed September 11, 2001. Women were learning to drive. Like many New Yorkers I know some of the people who have passed and I know many people who have lost a loved one. There was another woman there, crying and trying to reach out to her son. I knew what was going to happen: I was going to witness hundreds of people die, she recalled nearly 20 years later. WebPhotos show what the inside of the World Trade Centre looked like before it was torn down in a terror attack. (Photo: AP), A rescue helicopter surveys damage to the Pentagon as firefighters battle flames after a hijacked airplane crashed into the U.S. military headquarters outside of Washington, September 11, 2001. I have not spoken to her since, yet I think of her often, especially each September.. A lot of people say, 'Well, I don't want to look at that.' Since the sidewalks were full of people leaving the World Trade Center area, I was walking in the street right next to the firemen going directly into the area from which everyone else was evacuating. Suzanne Plunkett was on the scene taking photos for the Associated Press. Hes also a Quora contributor and you can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. The collapse of the WTC buildings following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, was one of the worst building disasters in US history, killing 2,749 people, including 400 emergency responders. It was an ironic twist for Lee, who grew up in South Korea in the 1970s. I couldnt believe what I was watching. Ill always remember the dedication my employees had to their job and to the Customs Service in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. A few seconds after hanging up the phone at 9:03 a.m., I felt a violent jolt, and then a falling sensation. The place felt like a bad dream or a movie set, photographer Preston Keres said. Eventually we exited the stairwell and made our way into the mall connecting the WTC complex. Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Disable on Observer.com. It was emotionally draining, but necessary, work. Daniel Shanken remembers the moment when the first tower collapsed. WebPeople run from the collapse of World Trade Center Tower Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001 in New York. People make their way through smoke, dust and debris on New Yorks Fulton Street, about a block from the collapsed towers on September 11. IE 11 is not supported. The yellow color is from the digital camera being set for daylight or outside light; the indoor light comes across as yellow. What I remember most were the sounds and smells of the scene, the massive level of security, and the way that President Bush connected with the first responders still working at the site, photographer Win McNamee said. The sense of security was a very important issue for my family, he said. But they were gone. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. In the year after she took this photo, she received thousands of emails from people all over the world. He rushed to the scene and parked a few blocks away from the site, where people were watching from afar. Having worked as a baggage handler at JFK airport for a summer (ironically for United Airlines of all companies), I knew what jet fuel smelled like. In this photo, taken by Paul J. Richards, he was learning about the second. (LockA locked padlock) It's not just the Western Hemisphere's tallest building it has also become a symbol of American pride. It was clear a tremendous number of people had died, and it was clear that the level of tragedy was enormous. Most iconic 9/11 images were taken from a distance, the ground, or the sky.. Your mind cannot really comprehend what is happeningalmost an overload state. I pulled up my T-shirt to cover my face. Collect, curate and comment on your files. McGraw was heading to a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery when he saw the crash, according to the Arlington Catholic Herald. A New York City firefighter calls for 10 more rescue workers to help as he works in the rubble of the World Trade Center on September 14, 2001. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Reports from the CDC found that the collapse of the towers exposed workers and the general public to a number of known chemical carcinogens. As I left the office I noticed many other employees from the National Commodity Specialist Division already filling the hallways to go to their evacuation exit. Completed in 1973, the original World Trade Center complexwas dubbed a "dream come true" by Governor Nelson Rockefeller at the official ribbon cutting ceremony on April 4. Learn more at Inside the Collection. He left his car on the road, jumped over a guard rail and started praying with those affected. He looked up it was only a matter of seconds, but it seemed like minutes and I thought that he was outstanding in his ability not to scare either the American people that were paying attention to the cameras or, more importantly, the students that were in the classroom.. (Photo: Reuters), New York City firefighters and other emergency personnel survey the World Trade Center collapse area near Vessey and Greenwich Streets after the World Trade Center collapse. Gulnara Samoilova, the photographer who took this photo for the Associated Press, was covered in dust just like them, and she remembers being in a state of shock, trying to get her bearings. It was a strange and surreal experience. The city blocks were unrecognizable with dust and smoke. The Falling Man. I remember thinking that the building was coming down and it was the end. The World Trade Centers South Tower bursts into flames after being hit by United Airlines Flight 175. Look how beautiful the World Trade Center is! I told her. In the foreground is the Empire State Building. Finally, the relative captured various points in the immediate recovery effort at Ground Zero. The publication of this photo, taken by Associated Press photographer Richard Drew, was not received well by everyone. I asked them why, out of all the thousands of people who worked there, would they be calling me? I also spoke with the president of the company, who was down in Florida at the time. People look back at the fire where the World Trade Center buildings collapsed. An official website of the United States government. After the first tower was attacked, Maryann stood on her Greenwich Street apartment balcony and documented the event with disposable cameras. That letter was something as a photojournalist that comes as a gut punch, but makes you really value the job we do.. Then everything went silent. It was shocking to me.. To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders, Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications, .css-o3g03s{color:black;}Published20:54,22 March 2021 GMT| Last updated20:54,22 March 2021 GMT. A person jumps from the north tower of New York's World Trade Center as another clings to the outside while smoke and fire billow from the building. Here are some of the haunting photos of the post tragedy photos from September 11 attack that sum up the tragedy. I had no idea who he was. 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