World Trade Center crumbles in terrorist attack
September 11, 2001 Posted: 2:21 PM EDT (1821 GMT)
(CNN) -- Two airplanes crashed separately into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan shortly before and after 9 a.m. EDT in terrorist attacks that erased the 110-story towers from the Manhattan skyline.
The FBI was investigating reports that the first plane, a commercial flight from Boston, may have been hijacked. An eyewitness told CNN that about 8:45 a.m. he saw a 767 flying low down the center of Manhattan and then veering left to fly directly into the south side of the north tower.
About 20 minutes later, as crowds gathered on the streets watching the flames from the first crash, a smaller plane rammed the second tower of the World Trade Center, exploding on impact. The towers have a total of as many as 50,000 occupants, and witnesses reported that people began jumping from windows to escape smoke, fire and the building's impending collapse.
" People were jumping out of the windows," an unidentified woman said through tears to a CNN reporter. "You can see them jumping out of the windows, if you go by there you can see them jumping out the windows right now!"
At 10 a.m. the 1,300-foot south tower folded in on itself, crashing to the street. Black smoke billowed skyward as pedestrians scrambled for cover as chunks of the building's walls rained to the ground. At 10:28 a.m. the first tower, struck by a commercial American Airline flight, also tumbled to earth.
New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was in a building near the World Trade Center after the first tower's collapse.
"We were trapped in the building for about 20 minutes because of the smoke and debris," Giuliani said.
Inches of ash from the towers' collapse cloaked buildings, emergency vehicles and people who were in the immediate area.
As the first tower began crumbling, pedestrians scrambled, some crouching behind cars and covering their heads as police officers screamed for people to leave the area.
Hospitals respond
Hospitals throughout the city began receiving hundreds of 100 people in emergency rooms suffering from smoke inhalation and critical injuries, CNN's Maria Hinjohosa reported. Passers by began streaming into the hospitals to donate blood. Hospitals in New York reported a severe blood shortage and solicited donations from the public.
Shortly before 11:30 a.m. Bellevue Hospital in New York reported treating 24 adult patients, including four trauma patients and a pregnant woman. One man was dead on arrival.
Nydia Negron, director for public information with Metropolitan Hospital, confirmed the hospital had received seven patients. "All are currently in stable condition but we have not ascertained the type or severity of the injuries," she said. There was no casualties among those brought to Metropolitan, she said.
North General Hospital in Manhattan was "in full disaster alert, which means we will utilize all manpower and recourses," said Lisa Alverenga, senior vice president for planning at the hospital. "We have beds available and have cleared our emergency department. We'll also be collecting blood for those who wish to donate."
Unknown number of casualties
A man who worked in the basement of the first struck tower told CNN that he heard an explosion "and then the elevator opened up and I saw a man and his skin was all off. I pulled him out and helped him into an ambulance."
"I don't even want to contemplate what the number will be" of those injured and killed, Guiliani said.
Mary Margaret Walker, a spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said the agency dispatched search-and-rescue units and will begin a structural search of the ruined structures.
The Federal Aviation Administration closed all airports in the United States just before 10 a.m. and routed all international flights bound for New York to Canada. Giuliani and New York Gov. George Pataki canceled the election that was scheduled in the city Tuesday.
It was the second terrorist attack at the World Trade Center. Six people died in a basement level explosion in the World Trade Center in February 1993.
Built on six acres of landfill, the World Trade Center complex includes seven high-rise buildings, a shopping mall and a daycare center. The two largest buildings, called the Twin Towers, collapsed.
The complex also includes a 47-story high-rise building, a
22-story structure, two nine-story buildings and an eight-story
facility. Its complex is also a hub for a commuter rail station.
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