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Bits of glass, large amounts of paper, pencils, etc. were all falling
from the building. Panic had already begun. People were screaming,
running in all directions, even closer to the tower. Fire department
officials were already converging to the north tower. Many people
were holding still inside the lobby of the WTC. I'm sure most people
were also staying put in the annex building. My daughter and I just
left. I still wonder what happened to those other people in the
dentist office.
I
had to get myself together there. I had to get my daughter to safety.
Initially, I thought of trying to get back to our apartment building
and the safety of the basement with other residents. My wife, by
the way, was out of harm's way. She works some six blocks north
of the World Trade Center and usually gets to work by 7:00 am.
Our building was west and a little south of the north tower. We
were just across the street from it to the north. We couldn't go
west as it was already closed off. So I decided we should run east
two or three blocks then run south a few blocks then west towards
our building. One thing I won't forget: We were running into so
many people as we were getting further away. Hundreds of people
were running towards the WTC and not away from it.
Obviously they had loved ones, family, who worked there and wanted
to come to their aid. Little did anyone know then that one hour
later both buildings were going to crumple to the ground. I've often
thought of all those faces I met as my daughter and I were trying
to get further away from the disaster.
How many of them didn't make it out of there? That's really bothered
me. Were there a few hundred who were killed by the building collapses
that could have easily been avoided by keeping a safe distance away?
Karly and I made a turn to the right after a distance and headed
south. By then, the noise level was unbearable. Sirens, screaming,
and more sirens. Two blocks later, my daughter reminds me to try
and get in touch with my wife on my cell phone.
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