On 26 February 1993 at 12:17, a yellow RYDER van detonated on level B-2 of the World Trade Center North tower. What was first believed to be a below grade transformer explosion turned into an extensive test of New York Cities Incident Command capabilities. Everyone involved had an intricate part in handling this situation. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was able to get all support assets there promptly to assist in rescue operations. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) discovered information on the vehicle used. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) used all of the intelligence gathered to apprehend and convict those responsible. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted cleanup of chemical and biological hazards that were left behind from the blast. Numerous agencies worked together to solve the first terrorist attack on American soil and clean up a disaster of epic proportions.
The bombing of the World Trade Center was nicknamed “the Big One”, causing a sixteen alarm fire. FEMA’s Incident Commander (IC) arrived on the scene at 12:48 and began assessing what needed to be done: over 50,000 people needed to be evacuated, thick black smoke was filling the building and could not stopped, numerous people were trapped in elevators and personnel on the top floors were breaking glass raining it down on personnel on the ground.
The IC decided that the first thing that needed to be done was to contain the fire and get it extinguished as soon as possible. Then the IC divided the situation into three primary sections Tower 1, Tower 2 and the Vista Hotel. The bomb had detonated right below the Vista Hotel and thick black smoke was quickly filling the two towers. He then c...
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...lease - World Trade Center Terrorist Bombing Investigation 15th Anniversary - February 26, 1993 | ATF. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.atf.gov/press/releases/2008/02/022708-atf-wtc-bombing-investigation-anniversary.html
Embar-Seddon, A., & Pass, A. D. (2009). World Trade Center Bombing. In Forensic science (3rd ed., pp. 1028-1031). Pasadena, California: Salem Press.
Manning, William A (1993). The World Trade Center bombing: Report and analysis. Emmitsburg, Md.: Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Fire Administration, National Fire Data Center.
Theoharis, A. G. (1999). The FBI: A comprehensive reference guide. Phoenix, Arizona: Oryx Press.
World Trade Center, 1993 Terrorist Attack - The attack and its aftermath, Investigation and cleanup begins. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.faqs.org/espionage/Vo-Z/World-Trade-Center-1993-Terrorist-Attack.html
The Oklahoma City Bombing was a domestic terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April 19, 1995. It was lead by Timothy McVeigh, an Army veteran of the Persian Gulf War. The explosive was a homemade bomb which was built by McVeigh and the help of Terry Nichols; the bomb consisted of a deadly cocktail and was put inside a rented Ryder truck in front of the Murrah Federal Building . McVeigh then proceeded out of the truck and headed towards his getaway car a few blocks away. He then started the detonation of the timed bomb at exactly 9:02 A.M. then the bomb exploded. To the people of Oklahoma it was a traumatizing moment for all, many lost families, dozens of cars were incinerated and more than 300 buildings were destroyed and caused about $652 million worth of damages. The “OKBOMB” affected hundreds of people; it killed “168 people -- 19 of them children -- and injured more than 500.” (CNN.com) Within 90 minutes of the explosion, McVeigh was pulled over 80 miles north of Oklahoma City by a state trooper who noticed McVeigh's missing license plate. He was later arrested for having a concealed weapon. From there, a investigation was held and agents found traces of chemicals on McVeigh’s clothing similar to the ones from the bomb. They learned that McVeigh’s plan was due to the anger over the events at Waco Siege two years earlier. The bombing investigation was one of the most exhaustive in FBI history; “the Bureau had conducted more than 28,000 interviews, followed some 43,000 investigative leads, amassed three-and-a-half tons of evidence, and reviewed nearly a billion pieces of information.” (FBI.com) Oklahoma City bombing was “considered the worst and the largest terrorist act eve...
Dr. Robinson, Mathew. “9/11: Other Warnings to the U.S. Government Prior to the Attacks of September 11th, 2001”. Appalachian State University. Web. 01 Aug 2011.
A time to remember those who died, those who served, and those who carry on.” Unknown. During 9/11, the Manhattan firefighters were responding to a gas leak when they heard the explosion from one of the twin towers. Policemen and firefighters from all around New York and surrounding areas came to help rescue the victims.
April 19, 1995 at 9:02, in Oklahoma City a bomb exploded; destroying buildings, injuring and killing innocent citizens. Many questions of the city would go unanswered; including who made it, who didn’t, along with who did it and why. All of these citizens deserve answers to the simple questions. The world was in shock and worried about what was going to happen next. This terrorist attack would then be noted as the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil.
On the afternoon of March 25, 1911, a fire broke out in the 10-floor Asch Building, a block east of Manhattan's Washington Square. This is where 500 mostly young immigrant girls were producing shirts for the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. Within minutes, it spread to consume the building's upper three stories. Firemen at the scene were unable to rescue those trapped inside: their ladders weren't tall enough. Exits were locked, and the narrow fire escapes were inadequate. Panicked, many jumped from the windows to their deaths. People on the street watched in horror. The flames were under control in less than a half hour, but 146 people perished, 123 of them women. It was the worst disaster in the city's history.
n.d. - n.d. - n.d. WTC 9/11 World Trade Center 911 5th Anniversary Memorial Music Video. Retrieved April 28, 2010, from http://www.wtc911.us/wtc_911_facts.html. 9-11 Review: Remote Control and the 9-11-01 Attack. n.d. - n.d. - n.d. 9-11 Review of the book.
9/11 Attacks History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts. (n.d.). History.com History Made Every Day American & World History. Retrieved September 30, 2013, from http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks
Libya and the United States had endured constant tensions throughout the mid- to late-twentieth century because of their conflicting ideas on terrorism. The United States was involved in a bombing on Libya that had an effect towards the Libyan leader. These tensions built up until someone took drastic measures. On December 21, 1988, the Pan American flight 103 was bombed as a result of these long standing tensions between the United States and Libya.
Schorn, Daniel. "The Explosion At Texas City - 60 Minutes - CBS News." CBS News. 29 Oct. 2006. Web. 27 June 2010.
The morning of September 11, 2001 began with the hijacking of four planes from Boston’s Logan airport. The goal of the fateful event was to cripple the United States economy by destroying what was considered to be the center of its power, Wall Street, the Pentagon and the White House (Amadeo). The terrorists successfully hit one of their targets, both towers of the American Trade Center, by 9 AM the morning of September 11th. The Pentagon in Washington D.C. was the next target with American Airlines Flight 77 crashing into it around 9:30 AM. The last plane, Flight 93, which was headed for targets in Washington, either the White House or the Capitol Building, crashed into western Pennsylvania after the passengers attacked the terrorists on board (Amadeo). The death total was staggering, 2975 people died in the attacks on September 11, 2001. This number surpassed the number of people who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 1941
September 11th, 2001 is one of the worst days in the United States of America’s history by far. It all began at 8:45am when a stolen airplane crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Many people believed that this was...
At 8:19 am – Flight attendants aboard Flight 11 (Boston’s Logan International Airport en route to Los Angeles) alert ground personnel that the plane has been hijacked; American Airlines notifies the FBI. Around 8:24 am – Hijacker Mohammed Atta makes the first of two accidental transmissions from Flight 11 to ground control in an attempt to communicate with the plane’s cabin. Following this, twenty-four minutes later – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) alerts North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)’s Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) about the suspected hijacking of Flight 11. In response, NEADS call upon two fighter planes located at Cape Cod’s Otis Air National Guard Base to locate and tail Flight 11; they are not yet in the air when Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower. Next in this crucial timeline, at 8:46 am – Mohammed Atta and the other hijackers aboard American Airlines Flight 11 crash the plane into floors 93-99 of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, killing everyone on board and hundreds inside the
On Sept. 11, 2001, A date that will live in infamy for Americans, terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City. At 8:48 a.m. flight 11 crashed into the north tower. As it continued to burn a second plane flight 175 carrying 65 people crashed into the south tower around 9:05 a.m.. as smoke and debris fill the air in New York City after one of the World Trade Center towers collapsed. Police officers and rescue workers on the disaster scene in New York are covered in Ash that was two to three inches deep in places. People wandered dazed and terrified, Several firefighters coated with dust sat on the ground gasping for breath. One top fire official was asked if both towers had completely collapsed: "You can see what I can see, " he responded. "We just have no idea." At least 202 firefighters and possibly up to 350 are missing,
The World Trade Center bombing triggered a response from the American government, but that response did not do enough to prevent future attacks against American targets. On February 26, 1993, at 18 minutes past noon, an explosion ripped through the underground parking garage of the Trade Center complex. The bombers rented a van, filled it with explosives and gasoline, and set the fuse,...
A source of evidence is the book The Unforgettable Fire. This was a book that contained thousands of drawings and paintings of the people who were present in the bombing. The images from the book are accompanied by a verbal record of what they represent.