I was in the tower

Date Submitted: 08/12/2012
Author Info: Chris (NY - USA) 
Occupation: Other
Lived in NY on 9.11.01?: Yes
Knew someone who perished?: Yes

The weekend of 9/11/01 we had started security measures to make sure the tower was ready in event of an attack or accident. The first step was to install backup power systems through the towers. I was working in the north tower on 9/8/01 and was helping with connecting power cables through the floors. I had been let home early because i did alot already. I came back the next day on 9/9/01 to help wire new internet cables in the upper floors of the tower and replace old phone cords as part of the new efforts to increase security. Later on the power was brought back online around 3PM 9/9/01 and we were done. On 9/11/01 me and a few others were sent to the towers to add fireproofing around the cables we added. Me and my team split up and 4 of us were in the north tower and 2 in the south. I remember going up to the 75th floor mechanical floor which is where we were connecting wires at before. During that time an explosion happened and the whole room had shook violently. The drop ceiling had caved in, and it was a mess. The cords we installed got cut as well. The power was also out for about 30 seconds until the tower came back online. We had no idea what was going on apart from things falling from windows above us and paper falling everywhere outside. At first i though the north tower possibly exploded upstairs. We thought it was possible that a terrorist blew himself up. Chelsey thought she seen something large fall outside through the vents. We decided to evacuate and headed down the stairs. Around the time we got to the 10th floor in the stairwell, there was yet again another explosion. When that happened i seen several things fall from tower 2 and people look up and scream and run. We tried to get outside but security forwarded us to other exits to avoid going outside and getting hit by falling objects. We had then headed to the financial center and i tried to call my other 2 team mates who were working on the 108 mechanical floor of the south tower. We were not at all able to get signal. I asked a few of the officers why we cant get signal and one of them said the upper floors of the north tower probably lost all power, which would of rendered the north towers antenna worthless. Jacob our other teammate demanded access into the WTC to go up and find our friends. He was refused access and a little bit later he was able to push into the site anyways thanks to a few camera men. He went but got caught and arrested for gaining access after he was told not too. A few minutes later we tried to call again and this time the call was successful. We got connected to them up on the 108 floor, and they told us they dont know what just happened. They were in the south tower and they watched a plane smash into the other tower and both shook. He said that the power went out inside the tower for a few seconds and when i came back online they tried to leave, only to be demanded by security to go back to work as it was “Under Control”. Soon after they said they heard a jet engine fly, then a smashing sound and then heard and felt a huge explosion. They said the tower had swayed like crazy and when that happened the 108 floor where they went back too was sealed. The mechanical floors of the twin towers were only accessible by Stairwell. The elevators did not have access for security reasons. The doors to the mechanical floors had keycard access as well, which was required to open the doors. The issue was after the second tower was hit the doors were rendered useless due to the keycard readers going offline. They said they would call back later after firemen knocked the door down. This is the last we heard from them. 20 minutes after the south tower collapsed from top and went to its side, folded, then randomly exploded. Dust and debree went in all directions. Lucky for us we were already heading away from the area. We ran into a subway and took cover. When we went out the dust was making it hard to see and right then Chelsey said she thinks the south tower fell. After that we went further down the island. Then the north tower fell. We watched in horror as the antenna of the tower shook, then went down. Then the floors above basically fell into each other and the tower was gone. We were shocked that the mechanical floor so high in the air that we had worked at during the past few days no longer existed. All that work went to waste. 2 of our friends had died as well. Ill def never forget that day. Last year on the 10th anniversary we went to the memorial pools and were rendered speechless. Where the pretty citys in the sky once stood, were now 2 very wonderful and large memorial pools with the names of all who died. We both looked up and were able to see exactly where the floor we were on was. It was crazy that all this beauty came at such a high price. All 7 towers and a few others were lost that day, along with several innocent people. We plan on visiting 1WTC in 2013 during top out to celebrate. It opens next year. During this time however, me and chelsey became married. Her brother had been killed in the WTC and our sons middle name is named after him. We wont forget.

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