The following transcript is the live reaction of a New York-based Internet community to the events of September 11, 2001. Like the e-mails people sent, the taped phone messages, and the “Missing” posters pasted downtown, it’s an unmediated artifact of what happened that day. The difference is, it’s a communal conversation.
The community in question is ECHO (a.k.a. East Coast Hangout), one of the earliest online discussion boards, founded in 1990. On September 11, ECHO founder Stacy Horn made the first post at 8:47 a.m.: A PLANE JUST HIT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. What followed were weeks of live posting as ECHO members—most of them New Yorkers—responded to events as they occurred.
This excerpt runs from 8:47 until 10:46, and it consists of a series of comments on a post titled “Item 245: Breaking News.” The posts can be very disturbing to read, since they so vividly replicate the raw, chaotic state of mind of New Yorkers trying to wrestle with the events of the day. But they also capture with moving precision the way people worked together, even in the midst of great confusion, to trade information and offer support in the moments when no one knew what was going to happen next.
11-SEP-01 8:47 Stacy Horn
A PLANE JUST CRASHED INTO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.
11-SEP-01 8:49 Stacy Horn
Oh god. I’m shaking. A plane just went by my window, it was flying WAY too low, and I was thinking, “How ironic,” I wrote about this in my book, and it crashed.
Oh God, people are dead now. Oh god.
11-SEP-01 8:50 Cathy
Where did you hear? I have the Today show on. No bulletin.
11-SEP-01 8:51Stacy Horn
I SAW IT. It just happened, too soon for radio and TV.
11-SEP-01 8:51 Cathy
There’s the bulletin!!! Oh God!
11-SEP-01 8:51 Stacy Horn
I’m freaking out. I called 911 and it was busy.
11-SEP-01 8:55 Stacy Horn
I didn’t see the hit, I saw the plane go by (TOO LOW) and heard the crash which was AWFUL. Then I stood up and saw the big GAPING hole (I can see the World Trade from where I am.)
11-SEP-01 8:56 just charlene
There is a huge fucking hole in the side of the WTC!
11-SEP-01 8:56 starla
what kind of plane was it?
11-SEP-01 8:57 Ellen
I think I heard the crash all the way up here. Oh god.
11-SEP-01 8:57 Stacy Horn
Jet. A big jet.
11-SEP-01 8:57 Pez
It’s on AM 820. NPR’s FM signal has been knocked out and an eyewitness is now speaking.
Apparently it was an American Airlines jet. A real commercial airplane.
11-SEP-01 8:57 just charlene
someone guessed that it was a 737.
11-SEP-01 8:57 Cathy
The plane is in the building!!!! I can’t believe this!!!
11-SEP-01 8:57 Pez
What do you think happened to the PLANE?? Where is it????
11-SEP-01 8:58 Luna grumble
Huge fire 10 or so stories from the top–North side of tower #1, the one with the antenna.
11-SEP-01 8:58 Pez
Stuck inside the building????
11-SEP-01 8:58 Cathy
yes!
11-SEP-01 8:58 Ellen
Watching on NY1 now. Those poor people.
11-SEP-01 8:59 Chalres
Horrible.
11-SEP-01 8:59 Pez
I can’t see the photos – does it seem possible anyone survived the crash?
11-SEP-01 9:00 Luna grumble
Whoa! Just turned on the TV! That is one huge hole!
Oy!
11-SEP-01 9:00 Chalres
My housemate’s brother just called his family to tell them he escaped okay. He works just a few floors below.
11-SEP-01 9:01 Pez
He was there?????????
Holy fuck.
11-SEP-01 9:01 Pez
What did he have to say? Anything?
11-SEP-01 9:01 Ellen
Thank god, Charles.
11-SEP-01 9:03 Pez
A reporter is now saying there was a second explosion in the second building??
11-SEP-01 9:04 Luna grumble
Holy SHIT!!! Explosion in the other tower!!!
11-SEP-01 9:04 Stacy Horn
THE SECOND BUILDING JUST EXPLODED. THE PLANE MUST HAVE EXPLODED.
11-SEP-01 9:04 Pez
The 1010WINS anchor is saying “Did you see ANOTHER plane crash into the second building?” WHAT?
11-SEP-01 9:05 Kevin
A second plane hit the other building.
11-SEP-01 9:05 Pez
I had the mistaken idea that it was still early morning (I’m oblivious) but I now realize there must be thousands of people at work in there right now. I can’t believe this.
11-SEP-01 9:05 Chalres
Kevin: WHAT???
11-SEP-01 9:06 Kevin
Two planes, one targeted each tower. They feel they were loaded with bombs.
11-SEP-01 9:06 Chalres
I’m going down to another office where they have the TV on.
11-SEP-01 9:09 starla
oh my god oh my god
11-SEP-01 9:10 Twang
Oh my god. I heard and saw the plane too, as I walked up Park. I looked up and thought my god that’s flying low.
Then I arrived at the office 10 minutes later and saw it on TV. Then I looked out the window and realized I can see the towers from here, and the damage.
This is just too horrible. I hope everyone’s loved ones are safe.
11-SEP-01 9:10 Stacy Horn
Is this a terrorist attack?? The first plane looked like a commercial jet.
11-SEP-01 9:10 myrna
Yeah, the second plane clearly hit deliberately. It happened live on CNN.
11-SEP-01 9:11 Pez
So, the planes are stuck inside the buildings right now. right?
11-SEP-01 9:11 myrna
I feel ill. Jesus christ. It looks like about ten floors in each building are gone.
11-SEP-01 9:12 Chalres
I just saw it on CNN. It is absolutely unbelievable.
11-SEP-01 9:13 myrna
Oh god, they just said a jet had been hijacked.
11-SEP-01 9:13 Ellen
Every emergency vehicle in the building is heading down there by the sound of it.
11-SEP-01 9:14 Ellen
SOrry, in the city. Shaken, here.
11-SEP-01 9:15 myrna
(That was so freaky: as they switched to commercial you could hear the CNN anchors flipping out, since they left the sound on. “Oh my god.” “Would you move that over?” And then a very annoyed, “Charlie!”)
11-SEP-01 9:16 howl
We’ve been attacked.
11-SEP-01 9:18 Cathy
I have a friend who thinks her children are there. Grown children, adults who work there. She’s trying to reach them now. I’m in shock. Shaking.
11-SEP-01 9:18 Margaret
oh god, this was terrorism? oh no. I can’t believe you actually saw this, Stacy, Twang.
11-SEP-01 9:18 Fish
Holy shit–my mother works at the WTC.
11-SEP-01 9:20 Secret Agent Mop
I am stunned.
11-SEP-01 9:21 placebo
oh god Fish
11-SEP-01 9:21 elkay loathed that Other Boss
going to watch tv now. can’t get anything over the web, too much traffic i guess.
11-SEP-01 9:21 elkay loathed that Other Boss
i feel sick.
11-SEP-01 9:22 Chalres
Yeah, most of the news sites are unreachable now.
11-SEP-01 9:22 starla
cbs is reporting that the fbi is investigation the possibility of two hijackings/suicide bombings.
11-SEP-01 9:22 Cathy
Why aren’t I getting NBC or Fox right now? Does anyone else have this problem?
11-SEP-01 9:23 starla
all local airports are closed. newark, kennedy, laguardia, teterboro. not sure about white plains or islip.
11-SEP-01 9:23 howl
Getting them here.
11-SEP-01 9:23 Luna grumble
Nope, getting all news/network channels.
11-SEP-01 9:23 Chalres
The transmitting towers on the WTC are probably fucked, no?
11-SEP-01 9:23 Lala
Holy God, Fish. Praying for you and your Mom.
11-SEP-01 9:23 Ellen
The tv stations are going in and out. I remember from the last time the WTC was bombed, they all had their towers there, and all the signals were knocked out.
11-SEP-01 9:24 Luna grumble
Lincoln and Holland Tunnels also closed. UN evacuated.
11-SEP-01 9:24 placebo
they must be
I turned on my TV and all there was was snow.
Getting the news now.
11-SEP-01 9:25 howl
NYC FM is off the air.
11-SEP-01 9:25 Luna grumble
Oy, Fish–sending good thoughts for safety.
11-SEP-01 9:25 He was no jester upon sacred things
The NBC employees at Rock Center have all been sent home, building closed.
11-SEP-01 9:26 Margaret
oh, Fish, I hope your mother is all right.
11-SEP-01 9:27 Fish
I’m really really freaking out.
11-SEP-01 9:27 Ellen
I hope it’s okay, Fish.
11-SEP-01 9:28 Lizbet
They’re saying on ABC that the second plane was a commercial plane, and there’s also unconfirmed reports of a plane recently hijacked…
11-SEP-01 9:28 He was no jester upon sacred things
I’m sure she’s OK, Fish.
11-SEP-01 9:29 Brian. Minnesotan. The.
holy fuck. I just woke up this morning and heard the hubub. If this WAS Osama Bin Laden, I want the fuck taken out. Oh man. Praying for everyone involved, especially Fish’s mom.
11-SEP-01 9:29 Ellen
Just tried to make two long distance calls to Philly and Boston and couldn’t.
11-SEP-01 9:30 howl
NYC said two planes might have been hijacked.
11-SEP-01 9:30 howl
Bush is talking.
11-SEP-01 9:30 Kevin
Phone lines are probably jammed with calls. The cell phone service in that area is certainly out.
11-SEP-01 9:30 Lala
Heard the second plane might have been an AA flight from Boston to LA that was hijacked.
11-SEP-01 9:31 Kevin
Bush says “wants to hunt down those guys”.
11-SEP-01 9:31 howl
He didn’t really have anything to say, but he used the word terrorism.
11-SEP-01 9:31 Truly Madly Luce-Id
Simpleton.
11-SEP-01 9:32 Margaret
Those guys? are they sure then?
11-SEP-01 9:32 Secret Agent Mop
Yeah, the phones here are fucked. I tried calling Ivan (Jag) at work (at the NYSE) – got through to leave a message, but not to his cell or home phone.
I know it’s been evacuated, but still, I worry.
11-SEP-01 9:33 Kevin
Full resources of the Government to their aid. I think it’s too early, he doesn’t have any information.
11-SEP-01 9:33 He was no jester upon sacred
Are there any damn news websites that are up?
11-SEP-01 9:33 Chalres
I got onto MSNBC for a moment. No more.
11-SEP-01 9:33 Kevin
CNN works, cable works on LI.
11-SEP-01 9:33 starla
i can get to dailynews.yahoo.com
11-SEP-01 9:34 He was no jester upon sacred things
I can’t get into any of them.
11-SEP-01 9:34 Kevin
I lost internet connectivity for about 15 minutes, but now it’s back.
11-SEP-01 9:34 Secret Agent Mop
Me neither.
11-SEP-01 9:34 Luna grumble
A guy just called ABC to say he’s stuck on 86th floor of tower 1. Jim Gartenberg. He did say that where he is the situation is under control and safe right now. Wanted families to know that.
11-SEP-01 9:35 Kevin
Nothing known yet anyway. They have video tape of the second plane hitting the South building.
11-SEP-01 9:35 Stacy Horn
How helpful.
11-SEP-01 9:35 Stacy Horn
(My post was in response to George Bush’s statement.)
11-SEP-01 9:36 howl
They’re closing bridges and tunnels. New York is being shut down.
11-SEP-01 9:37 Jackie Blue
I just got a call that my friends who work on a high floor there are OK. Thank god. I can’t believe this is happening.
11-SEP-01 9:37 howl
ABC is talking about another plane heading this way. No confirmation.
11-SEP-01 9:38 Kevin
The North tower (first hit) has some serious flames still burning. AA 767 from Boston hit the North building first. That’s a big plane.
11-SEP-01 9:40 Lala
Hearing a news report about an explostionat the Pentagon. Thought I heard a distant blast/rumble, but it’s sunny here, no thunder.
11-SEP-01 9:41 Chalres
Oh God.
11-SEP-01 9:41 howl
Is that definite about the pentagon, lala?
11-SEP-01 9:41 Stacy Horn
A PLANE JUST CRASHED INTO THE PENTAGON.
11-SEP-01 9:41 howl
Shit.
11-SEP-01 9:41 Chalres
Fuck us all.
11-SEP-01 9:41 Cathy
reports of fire at the Pentagon.
11-SEP-01 9:41 fancy couch seeks storage solution
i was just standing in union square for about a half hour staring at the smoke and flames…from all the way up here i can see flames…i heard two planes…terrorism. the thought of all that early-morning foot traffic and two huge planes on the ground. holy fucking shit. i feel really sick. praying, praying.
11-SEP-01 9:41 fancy couch seeks storage solution
fucking pentagon.
11-SEP-01 9:42 Secret Agent Mop
Jesus Christ.
11-SEP-01 9:42 Lala
The Pentagon is a mile (maybe less) from national Airport as the crow flies.
11-SEP-01 9:43 Kevin
CNN.COM seems to be out.
And MSMBC.COM.
11-SEP-01 9:43 Brian. Minnesotan. The.
FoxNews says the Pentagon and White House are being evacuated.
no news about other explosions.
11-SEP-01 9:43 Chalres
I can’t get the Washington Post or anything else either.
11-SEP-01 9:43 Brian. Minnesotan. The.
Now FoxNews says a plane crashed on Interstate 395 in DC
11-SEP-01 9:43 Justine
AP, NYTimes, CNN sites are all impossible to get on. Looks like radio and TV are the only ones transmitting now - try WNYC AM.
Fuck. Something just made smoke in Washington DC.
Look at ABC.
11-SEP-01 9:44 Brian. Minnesotan. The.
now they say its the pentagon
11-SEP-01 9:44 Kevin
“The White House has ordered an immediate evacuation of the White House”.
11-SEP-01 9:44 fancy couch seeks storage solution
fuck.
11-SEP-01 9:44 placebo
Pentagon hit by an airplane
11-SEP-01 9:44 placebo
White House evacuated.
11-SEP-01 9:44 howl
Do I get my daughter out of school?
I wonder if the schools are closing.
11-SEP-01 9:45 Smoke
The pentagon has been hit as well.
11-SEP-01 9:46 placebo
report of fire on Washington Mall.
11-SEP-01 9:46 Kevin
The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine is claiming responsibility for the WTC attack.
11-SEP-01 9:46 Lala
Can see the smoke from the Pentagon from my balcony. Morbid aside: the hot dog stand at in the courtyard at the center of the Pentagon is called (colloquially) the Ground Zero Cafe.”
11-SEP-01 9:46 Stacy Horn
I was on the phone with my boss at NPR in DC, he told me about the pentagon.
11-SEP-01 9:47 Rat
Fire in the Washington Mall as well. The Pentagon was also hit by a plane.
11-SEP-01 9:47 Ellen
What the fuck is the CIA doing that three planes can crash into things and we have no clue??
11-SEP-01 9:47 Margaret
holy shit, this is totally unbelievable now.
11-SEP-01 9:48 placebo
the one plane was from Boston; it was hijacked.
11-SEP-01 9:48 Stacy Horn
Doesn’t the Pentagon have super duper air defense??
11-SEP-01 9:48 Chalres
Doesn’t all of Washington??
11-SEP-01 9:48 Stacy Horn
What next??
11-SEP-01 9:48 howl
If we see antoher plane coming this way, what could we do? We don’t have anti-aircraft, can’t shoot anythingdown over the city anyway.
11-SEP-01 9:48 Kevin
People jumping from the WTC to escape smoke and flames. This is horrible.
11-SEP-01 9:48 Ellen
They will after this. A big advertisment for air missile defense.
11-SEP-01 9:48 Justine
The sight of Bush, the sound of his stupid voice, on TV is so unbelievably annoying, on such a miserable day.
Fuck it. IT’s primary day. I’m gonna go vote. Somehow I don’t think a plane’s going to smash into a polling place in Flatbush, Brooklyn, or wherever it is I’m supposed to go.
11-SEP-01 9:49 crepuscule with bennie
How? The windows don’t open.
11-SEP-01 9:49 howl
(There’s the conspiracy theory, Ellen.)
11-SEP-01 9:49 Ellen
(Seriously, I know I said this when Bush was elected, that something would be manufactured so we’d go to war.)
11-SEP-01 9:49 Brian. Minnesotan. The.
Supposedly surviors from the crash are jumping out of the holes in the buildings
11-SEP-01 9:50 Joan
pedestrians are swarming the Brooklyn Bridge.
11-SEP-01 9:50 Brian. Minnesotan. The.
I can’t think this was manufactured. That’s just a horrible thought
11-SEP-01 9:50 Stacy Horn
There are NO planes flying over Manhattan now. All airports and airways shut down.
11-SEP-01 9:50 Stacy Horn
I just heaard all the airports in the country have been shut down.
11-SEP-01 9:50 Kevin
Just relaying eye witness reports. There are holes the the building now.
All planes in the air are ordered to land. They only want military planes in the air.
11-SEP-01 9:50 Brian. Minnesotan. The.
That airport thing has been expanded to the entire country now
11-SEP-01 9:52 placebo
oh god oh god. People jumping????? How horrible.
11-SEP-01 9:52 fancy couch seeks storage solution
i don’t know what to do.
11-SEP-01 9:52 howl
There’s nothing for us to do.
11-SEP-01 9:53 placebo
those of us who believe in or take comfort from praying can do that.
11-SEP-01 9:53 Kevin
They only want military aircraft in the skys. I suspect they will shoot down anything that won’t land.
The Secret Service received threats of an attack against the White House.
11-SEP-01 9:53 Amy R.
Yup. We’re having a meeting at work in a few minutes, but I’m assuming that emergency services are so overloaded that there are no formal plans as to what to do.
11-SEP-01 9:53 Ellen
No dial tone now.
11-SEP-01 9:53 Lala
Yes, DC has super-duper air defense, but as I said, the Pentagon (and the White House/Mall/Capitol for that matter) are more or less *on* the flight path to National - which goes straight down the middle of the Potomac.
11-SEP-01 9:54 placebo
I haven’t had a dial tone since my mother called to let me know that this was happening. Only getting one tv channel, badly.
Bush would call to nuke the West Bank and almost all the Arab states and do it without NATO’s ok
11-SEP-01 9:55 Kevin
Yes, when I fly to DC I pass very close to the Pentagon. It would be hard to determine an attack from a regular landing.
11-SEP-01 9:59 jneil
The top pf the tower just collaped
11-SEP-01 10:00 placebo
oh god it’s collapsing
11-SEP-01 10:00 Secret Agent Mop
There was a “credible threat” made against the White House, hence the evacuation
11-SEP-01 10:00 placebo
top the top it collapsed
11-SEP-01 10:00 Joan
oh my god, one of the towers just collapsed.
11-SEP-01 10:00 Kevin
Subways are closed.
A third explosion in the WTC area!
11-SEP-01 10:00 placebo
it fell to the ground oh god
11-SEP-01 10:00 placebo
oh god this has been a living hell for those people in there
11-SEP-01 10:00 Joan
the whole BUILDING
11-SEP-01 10:01 Margaret
Mark, who works in the area, called me from Chelsea – they felt the impact in his building, and could see pieces of flaming debris falling outside. He and a cow worker walked to Rector St. and were able to get a subway before they closed them.
11-SEP-01 10:02 Kevin
The South tower has collapsed.
11-SEP-01 10:02 Margaret
jesus, the entire building? did they evacuate before this happened? my god.
11-SEP-01 10:02 isbn
the ENTIRE TOWEER has just collapsed
11-SEP-01 10:02 isbn
how can this HAPPEN? oh my god the people in there oh my god
11-SEP-01 10:03 Lulu
The south Tower has just collapsed.
11-SEP-01 10:04 placebo
three high schools in that area. Students are being kept inside. My b/f works in one of them.
11-SEP-01 10:04 Leslie K.
A reporter on the scene on 1010 WINS basically said she heard an explosion and saw it topple over, but there’s so much smoke and debris she can’t even tell which direction it fell.
11-SEP-01 10:04 Lulu
I don’t know if it is the whole Tower. You can’t see anything in the picture.
11-SEP-01 10:04 Leslie K.
They’re saying on the radio that it’s the whole thing… .
11-SEP-01 10:04 placebo
oh what a nightmare for those poor people in there.
11-SEP-01 10:04 art
PLEASE IF ANYBODY SEES MY SISTER, LIZL, ONLINE, HAVE HER LEAVE ME A MESSAGE ON ECHO OR AT WORK. I can’t reach her by phone. She doesn’t live or work near the WTC, but I’m not sure where her husband works and I just want to make sure they’re okay.
Phone number at work: XXX-XXX-XXXX.
THANK YOU.
11-SEP-01 10:05 Lala
It looks like the entire southern tip of Manhattan is engulfed in thick smoke. That has to be dangerous to breathe.
11-SEP-01 10:05 Lulu
So, if the whole country is under attack, what the fuck are we supposed to do?
11-SEP-01 10:06 placebo
I can’t make a call. “All circuits are busy”.
11-SEP-01 10:08 Chalres
I think every major U.S. city has evacuations going on.
11-SEP-01 10:08 placebo
two elementary schools in immediate area – kids are being kept inside.
11-SEP-01 10:08 Cathy
I can’t reach anyone in the city. Fuck.
11-SEP-01 10:08 placebo
Evacuated Sears Tower in CHI.
11-SEP-01 10:08 Lulu
It seems it is the entire tower has collapsed. The whole building–if the smoke ever clears, it won’t be there.
11-SEP-01 10:08 Stacy Horn
I was on the phone to DC before, haven’t tried in the past half hour though.
11-SEP-01 10:08 He was no jester upon sacred things
My phones are working fine, within the city, out to Long Island.
11-SEP-01 10:09 Joan
jesus. I can see this out my window. just tons and tons of smoke.
11-SEP-01 10:09 placebo
cellphones inside the hospitals that are receiving patients are down; internal communication compromised in the HOSPITALS! (Report from Bellvue.)
11-SEP-01 10:10 Joan
and now we’re hearing the jet fighters flying overhead.
11-SEP-01 10:10 Lala
Major window-rattling explosion here!
11-SEP-01 10:10 placebo
2nd plane may have come from Newark Airport.
11-SEP-01 10:11 Lala
Much louder than the first Pentagon explosion.
11-SEP-01 10:11 placebo
Lala what do you mean?! ANOTHER one?
11-SEP-01 10:11 Lala
YES!
11-SEP-01 10:12 Lulu
AN explosion on Capitol Hill they are saying on TV.
11-SEP-01 10:12 placebo
wait wait you’re in DC???
11-SEP-01 10:12 Secret Agent Mop
For those of us sans radio, TV, Web, etc.: This is *yet another* explosion – on Capital Hill?
11-SEP-01 10:12 Lala
Placebo? I’m in Arlington. Two miles south of Pentagon.
11-SEP-01 10:13 Lulu
Lala is in DC.
11-SEP-01 10:13 Luna grumble
Explosion on Capitol Hill.
11-SEP-01 10:13 Lala
Yes. Another explosion.
11-SEP-01 10:16 placebo
Lala – ok – yes, now they’re reporting it on CBS TV in NYC.
11-SEP-01 10:16 KZ
my brother in law was in a meeting on capitol hill this morning. i think he was evacuated a little while ago. can’t reach anyone. feel so helpless.
11-SEP-01 10:17 Secret Agent Mop
Me too.
11-SEP-01 10:17 fancy couch seeks storage solution
another building just blew up next to the wtc. tower is toast…
11-SEP-01 10:18 Lulu
American Airlines out of Boston to LA, they believe is one of the planes that was hijacked and taken into the WTC. If it were full it would have 158 passenger.
The South Tower is completely gone, people saw people falling through the sky. Good, God.
11-SEP-01 10:19 Kevin
All European flights to the US have been suspended.
11-SEP-01 10:19 Lala
Praying very hard that Fish’s mother is OK and was evacuated.
11-SEP-01 10:19 Duckstrap
My mom works in the state department. Can’t get through.
11-SEP-01 10:20 isbn
another building blew up? as an after shock reaction??
11-SEP-01 10:20 Lala
State department has been evacuated.
11-SEP-01 10:21 fancy couch seeks storage solution
sitting here not knowing what to do. manhattan is sealed. i work close to the empire state building. i’m thinking i should get the fuck out of here.
11-SEP-01 10:22 Pez
Yes, I think you should. Apparently they’re letting people evacuate the island on foot (over hte Brooklyn Bridge).
11-SEP-01 10:22 Lulu
Yes, go home.
11-SEP-01 10:22 Amy R.
We were told to stay put if we can, as it may be more dangerous on the street.
My office manager today on the phone with someone: life as we know it is never going to be the same.
11-SEP-01 10:23 Chalres
No, everything’s just been changed for us. Whatever else happens or doesn’t happen.
11-SEP-01 10:24 Kevin
A car bomb has exploded outside the State Department in DC.
11-SEP-01 10:24 ragged paul
Now we know how people in those other countries feel
11-SEP-01 10:24 howl
Get out of the Empire State B., please.
Just went out to Astor Place; smoke to the south, fire engines rush downtown; people heading uptown.
11-SEP-01 10:25 starla
philadelphia stock exchange is being evacuated.
11-SEP-01 10:25 Chalres
rp: Yep, and we thought we knew that in 1993.
11-SEP-01 10:25 howl
CNN just said there was no explosion at the Capitol.
11-SEP-01 10:25 starla
also, i can’t reach a lot of the internet, fwiw.
11-SEP-01 10:25 starla
independence park has also been shut down.
11-SEP-01 10:25 Fish
Still waiting to hear something, but even if she’s ok it could be hours before she can get out and to a working phone.
I feel sick.
11-SEP-01 10:26 Kevin
Praying for her. For everyone.
11-SEP-01 10:26 mugsy
Our thoughts are with you!
11-SEP-01 10:26 isbn
praying for everyone.
why would anyone DO this.
11-SEP-01 10:27 cricket
I’m going to throw up.
11-SEP-01 10:27 Tycho Magnetic Anomaly
Car bomb has exploded outside State Dept.
11-SEP-01 10:27 Joey X
praying here too. this is beyond terrible.
11-SEP-01 10:28 jae cen
what is the significance of this date? there has to be one.
i can’t believe this is happening. i’m waiting to hear about the transamerica building now.
this isn’t happening.
11-SEP-01 10:28 Amy R.
I’m sick from this, and worried about a co-worker who’s not in yet.
11-SEP-01 10:28 starla
i was wondering the same thing, jae.
11-SEP-01 10:28 cricket
the 2nd tower collapsed!
11-SEP-01 10:28 Kevin
The North Tower has collapsed.
11-SEP-01 10:29 jneil
Both towers are down.
11-SEP-01 10:29 Luna grumble
North Tower down, too. God, Fish, I hope your mom is out. You’re in my thoughts.
11-SEP-01 10:29 alto artist
Oh my god. I listened to this unfold while I was at the gym. No one knew what to do–we just kept on exercising, in some kind of surreal, unbelieving funk. Then I ran the block home, heart pounding, past stores where people were crowding around the TV, past onlookers pointing to the sky. I was terrified…I’ve never been so glad to be home. Now watching on CNN what I heard an hour ago. Called my best friend who lives downtown–she’s OK.
Now I hear sirens going up Broadway
11-SEP-01 10:30 alto artist
what?? The other tower??
11-SEP-01 10:30 Joey X
oh man, Fish, you and your mom are in my thoughts.
11-SEP-01 10:30 fancy couch seeks storage solution
no WTC left. it’s gone.
11-SEP-01 10:30 alto artist
We’re a week away from the Jewish holidays. I wonder if that is significant.\
11-SEP-01 10:31 alto artist
Praying for everyone who’s looking for friends and family.
11-SEP-01 10:31 fancy couch seeks storage solution
alto, i was thinking of that too.
11-SEP-01 10:32 Fish
And I can’t get any phone lines out. Now I am also worried about my mentally ill brother who will no doubt be freaking.
11-SEP-01 10:33 placebo
DONATE BLOOD
11-SEP-01 10:33 Joan
we’re now smelling the smoke in Brooklyn.
11-SEP-01 10:34 jae cen
i don’t want to seem callous, but if you’re dialed up to connect to echo, please hang up so we can get calls into NY.
11-SEP-01 10:34 Skyvue
Has there been any word on where on one can go to donate blood?
11-SEP-01 10:34 Luna grumble
I suspect any hospital.
11-SEP-01 10:35 Joey X
they were having a blood drive at the Grace building today but I think we are >this< close to shutting down here.
11-SEP-01 10:36 art 11-SEP-01 10:35
Lizl and husband are okay.
Praying for fish and duckstrap.
11-SEP-01 10:36 Duckstrap
fox news says another hijacked plane enroute to d.c.
11-SEP-01 10:36 Slobber goes to Hell
Feel sick.
11-SEP-01 10:36 ragged paul
aw geez
11-SEP-01 10:37 Lala
Hoping duckstrap’s Mom got evacuated in time.
11-SEP-01 10:37 placebo
for donating blood I would guess go uptown and stay away from the downtown area but I don’t know.
AFAIK blood is not accepted from people who have genital herpes, HIV, etc. or who’ve eaten beef in Europe lately.
I am on echo through a DSL connection. Yes we should free up phone circuits if our calls are not urgent.
11-SEP-01 10:37 Joan
just heard they cancelled the NY primary today. where the fuck IS our lovely mayor, anyway?
11-SEP-01 10:39 placebo
I cannot believe this. Somehow it’s really happening. I can’t believe it.
11-SEP-01 10:39 starla
cbs reports a plane crash outside of pittsburgh
11-SEP-01 10:40 Tycho Magnetic Anomaly
ABC reporting the same thing.
11-SEP-01 10:40 alto artist
CBS, too.
11-SEP-01 10:41 alto artist
Primaries cancelled.
11-SEP-01 10:41 Fish
this is unreal
11-SEP-01 10:41 alto artist
All of NYC on full terrorism alert. Part of the Pentagon has collapsed.
11-SEP-01 10:41 howl
Another plane hijacked.
11-SEP-01 10:42 alto artist
Just got an email from Panix:
“We have lost most of our New York City dialups. It is not clear whether or not this is related to the World Trade Center disaster, or when we will be able to fix it. Our apologies for any inconvenience.
You may have trouble reaching us in the office. Our voice phone lines there seem to be functioning, but we are going to be short-staffed today because of transportation problems.”
11-SEP-01 10:42 Lala
I used to spend a lot of time on that side of the Pentagon. Know people w ho work in that corridor.
11-SEP-01 10:42 alto artist
stock exchange being evacuated.
11-SEP-01 10:42 crepuscule with bennie
Yeah, I called in terrorized, I imagine others have too.
11-SEP-01 10:42 Fish
Where the hell are they getting more planes?
11-SEP-01 10:43 isbn
i emailed in, i coulnd’t call
11-SEP-01 10:43 Lala
I can hear the constant rumble of fighters overhead.
11-SEP-01 10:43 dana, karmic CPA
jesus christ. jenn called a few minutes after nine to tell me what she could see, and I have been glued to the television since then. dunno where she is now. brooklyn I think. brooklyn’s okay, right?
fish, I hope you can reach your mom and bro soon. how awful to be unable to reach them.
11-SEP-01 10:43 alto artist
Fire at the Washington Mall. Explosion at the State Department. All bridges and tunnels in Manhattan closed.
11-SEP-01 10:44 jae cen
the pittsburgh plane crashed outside pittsburgh.
if the pilot decided to take down the plane because it was hijacked rather than take out thousands more people, him and all those passengers need to be considered martyrs.
11-SEP-01 10:45 alto artist
God, I don’t know what to do. I have appointments to keep, deadlines…I’m numb and terrified.
11-SEP-01 10:45 Lala
I have no water. I assume water pressure is gone because of firefighting at Pentagon.
11-SEP-01 10:46 isbn
we all are. we all are.
[Editor’s note: Fish heard from her mother that afternoon—she had been evacuated after the first plane hit and was safe.]