In the break room, where the only TV in our office was located at the time. Everyone was huddled around as pictures of two columns of smoke were set oblique into the blue skies of Manhattan. While not completely silent, the conversation was spartan of verbosity and contemplative, which was unusual for our group.
I remember bringing up the knowledge I gained in University of structural design with concrete and steel in high rises, and predicting that those towers would come down if they didn’t get the fires out. Steel softens and bows to stresses when it gets hot. It was a prediction that I don’t gloat about, but I bring up often when remembering that day because of the 911 deniers who claimed the buildings were demolished, and anyone who knows about structural engineering would have, and did, predict it.
I’m sure many of the FDNY and first responders did too. They may have held hope that they had time, but I believe that kind of courage should be remembered.
There has been a long history of fires in steel and concrete high rises collapsing buildings all over the world.
or something like that....