A little before 9am on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 I looked out the window
and noticed paper fluttering down. Walking to the window and peering west
I could see smoke rising into the sky. I always carry a small point and shoot
camera with me. I rushed outside and began to shoot. The following pictures
are what I saw.
I decided to see how close to the buildings I could get.
I exited my building along Pine St. Papers and ash floated down but I still
had no idea what had happened. One Chase Plaza is on the left, 40 Wall St.
on the Right.
Already people in front of One Chase Plaza were looking up at the smoke
billowing up into the sky, despite the fact that from this vantage the towers
are not visible.
By the time I reached Broadway large crowds had gathered to watch the flames
pour from the north tower.
It was at this point that I could see the flames for the first time. One Liberty Plaza
is the black tower in the foreground on the right.
Reality still had not sunk in as I crossed the small park just to the south of One
Liberty Plaza.
Before
I made it as far as Church St. Just across the street from the World Trade Center Plaza. The South tower loomed above me. I heard a loud boom and looked up. Above me the building exploded in a large ball of orange fire. I ducked behind the steel support columns of One Liberty Plaza as metal debris rained down. | After
I took this picture just a few seconds after the second plane struck the South Tower. I just pointed my camera up and took snapped the shutter. I was running from column to column heading away from the explosion. |
Where I stood
I stood at the red cross-hairs at the time of the
second plane crash.
I retreated back to Broadway and watched as now both towers burned.
And yes, I was really there.
Emergency vehicles began to stream in. The air was filled with the sounds of sirens.
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