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NIST’s
World Trade Center Investigation
Improving the Future Safety of Buildings, Occupants, and First Responders
The collapse of New
York City’s World Trade Center (WTC) on Sept. 11, 2001, was the
worst building disaster in recorded history, killing some 2,800 people
and causing estimated insured losses in excess of $50 billion. More than
400 fire and emergency responders were among those killed, the largest
loss of life for this group in a single incident.
The National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST) is leading a building and fire safety
investigation to study the structural failure and subsequent progressive
collapse of several WTC buildings following the terrorist attacks. The
investigation of WTC Buildings 1 and 2 (the “Twin Towers”)
and WTC Building 7 will focus on the building construction, the materials
used, and the technical conditions that contributed to the outcome of
the disaster.
The results of the
investigation will serve as the basis for improvements in the way buildings
are designed, constructed, maintained, and used; improved tools and guidance
for industry and safety officials; revisions to codes, standards, and
practices; and improved public safety.
First-Hand
Accounts
As part of the NIST
investigation, interviews were conducted in person, by telephone, and
through focus groups to get first-hand accounts of the events of Sept.
11, from people who were inside the WTC buildings. Over 400 people were
interviewed face-to-face, including occupants near the floors of impact
and in elevators or lobbies; people with disabilities who were inside
the WTC buildings; first responders; and people with safety responsibilities
such as floor wardens and fire safety directors. Families of the victims,
who communicated with loved ones inside the Twin Towers before they collapsed,
were interviewed to determine the nature of the environment above the
floors of impact.
Additionally, some
800 occupants and persons with responsibilities in WTC 1 and 2 were interviewed
by telephone. Finally, specific issues were investigated with six focus
groups involving people from both WTC 1 and WTC 2.
Improving
Evacuation Safety, Practices
In total, this effort
will yield data on the role of occupant behavior and evacuation technologies
and practices for tall buildings, including decision-making and situation
awareness, time-constrained evacuation strategies, communications, the
role of floor wardens and fire safety directors, and issues concerning
people with disabilities. Additionally, NIST will seek specific observations
of fire and smoke conditions and/or structural damage from within the
building.
Improving
Fire Service Safety, Practices
NIST built upon
work done by the Fire Department of New York and McKinsey & Company
in examining how the response and safety of the fire service in responding
to fires in tall buildings could be improved. NIST will use the data to:
- fully document
what happened during the response by the fire services to the attacks
on the World Trade Center, up to the time of collapse of WTC 7;
- identify issues
that need to be addressed in changes to practice, standards, and codes;
- identify alternative
practices and/or technologies that may address these issues; and
- identify research
and development needs that advance the safety of the fire service in
responding to massive fires in tall buildings.
Additional
information:
Web site: http://wtc.nist.gov
E-mail: wtc@nist.gov
Postal mail:
NIST World Trade Center Investigation Team
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8610
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8610
Date
created: 08/21/02
Last updated:
July 18, 2005
Contact: inquiries@nist.gov
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