The Right Stuff
Off topic -- FDNY reached burning 78th floor of the WTC south tower.
August 4, 2002
Report: FDNY Reached WTC Crash Site
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 6:24 p.m. ET
NEW YORK (AP) -- A tape of emergency radio transmissions on
Sept. 11 shows that firefighters reached the burning 78th
floor of the south tower where the jetliner sliced through,
nearly 30 floors higher than officials had estimated.
Four people who have listened to the tape said at least two
firefighters reached the crash site and were helping the
injured, The New York Times reported for Sunday editions.
The 78-minute tape was found in the rubble months ago but
was not played until fire officials signed a
confidentiality agreement.
The agreement was requested because the tape may be used as
evidence in the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, accused of
conspiracy in the Sept. 11 attacks. Moussaoui, who faces
the death penalty, has said he is a loyal member of
al-Qaida but denies a role in Sept. 11.
Officials had thought that firefighters had not climbed
higher than the 50th floor in either tower. United Flight
175 crashed into the south tower between the 78th and 84th
floors. American Airlines Flight 11 sliced through the
north tower near the 91st floor.
Most of the transmissions on the tape came from the south
tower.
The fire department has identified the voices of at least
16 firefighters on the recording, and the families were
invited to listen to the tape Friday after signing
confidentiality agreements.
Debbie Palmer, whose husband, Battalion Chief Orio Palmer,
can be heard on the tape, would not break her agreement but
said the recording gave her some peace about her husband's
last moments.
``I didn't hear fear, I didn't hear panic,'' she told The
Times. ``When the tape is made public to the world, people
will hear that they all went about their jobs without fear,
and selflessly.''
Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company |
