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12 Debunking the 9/11 Myths

Debunking the 9/11

Myths: Special Report -

The World Trade Center

by Popular Mechanics Editors

Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks against the United States, a wave of
conspiracy theories swept the nation. The
destruction of the Twin Towers in New York
City was an inside job, they claimed, the work
of the federal government, and "truthers"
filled the internet with supposed proof of the
vast conspiracy.

It was in this climate that Popular
Mechanics took on the task of debunking the
myths about the 9/11 attacks. Our first
report appeared as the cover story for the
March 2005 issue. The reporting grew into a
2006 book with a forward by Sen. John
McCain, which was updated with a new DETONATED in the lower levels of tower one some of their structural strength—and that
version in 2011. Below you'll find the section at the same time as the plane crash." required exposure to much less heat. "I have
about the World Trade Center, and you can never seen melted steel in a building fire," says
also get the facts about the planes, the attack FACT: Following up on a May 2002 retired New York deputy fire chief Vincent
on the Pentagon, and the crash of United preliminary report by the Federal Emergency Dunn, author of The Collapse Of Burning
Flight 93. Management Agency (FEMA), a major study Buildings: A Guide To Fireground Safety. "But
will be released in spring 2005 by the National I've seen a lot of twisted, warped, bent and
Seventeen years later, 9/11 conspiracy theories Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a sagging steel. What happens is that the steel tries
linger on. In the years following the report of branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce. to expand at both ends, but when it can no longer
this publication, truthers would launch of NIST shared its initial findings with PM and expand, it sags and the surrounding concrete
variety of attacks on PM, accusing the made its lead researcher available to our team of cracks."
magazine of being a tool of the federal reporters. "Steel loses about 50 percent of its
government and drawing tinfoil-hat diagrams The NIST investigation revealed that strength at 1100°F," notes senior engineer Farid
to tie Popular Mechanics to the Bush plane debris sliced through the utility shafts at Alfawak-hiri of the American Institute of Steel
Administration and the supposed big the North Tower's core, creating a conduit for Construction. "And at 1800° it is probably at
conspiracy. If all this nonsense accomplished burning jet fuel—and fiery destruction less than 10 percent." NIST also believes that a
anything, it was to presage our current era of throughout the building. "It's very hard to great deal of the spray-on fireproofing insulation
"alternative facts" and attacking the document where the fuel went," says Forman was likely knocked off the steel beams that were
messenger whenever the message clashes with Williams, a NIST adviser and a combustion in the path of the crashing jets, leaving the metal
one's predetermined beliefs. expert, "but if it's atomized and combustible and more vulnerable to the heat.
gets to an ignition source, it'll go off." But jet fuel wasn't the only thing
Burning fuel traveling down the elevator burning, notes Forman Williams, a professor of
shafts would have disrupted the elevator systems engineering at the University of California, San
The collapse of both World Trade Center and caused extensive damage to the lobbies. Diego, and one of seven structural engineers and
towers—and the smaller WTC 7 a few hours NIST heard first-person testimony that "some fire experts that PM consulted. He says that
later—initially surprised even some experts. But elevators slammed right down" to the ground while the jet fuel was the catalyst for the WTC
subsequent studies have shown that the WTC's floor. "The doors cracked open on the lobby fires, the resulting inferno was intensified by the
structural integrity was destroyed by intense fire floor and flames came out and people died," combustible material inside the buildings,
as well as the severe damage inflicted by the says James Quintiere, an engineering professor including rugs, curtains, furniture and paper.
planes. That explanation hasn't swayed at the University of Maryland and a NIST NIST reports that pockets of fire hit 1832°F.
conspiracy theorists, who contend that all three adviser. A similar observation was made in the "The jet fuel was the ignition source,"
buildings were wired with explosives in advance French documentary "9/11," by Jules and Williams tells PM. "It burned for maybe 10
and razed in a series of controlled demolitions. Gedeon Naudet. As Jules Naudet entered the minutes, and [the towers] were still standing in
North Tower lobby, minutes after the first 10 minutes. It was the rest of the stuff burning
Widespread Damage aircraft struck, he saw victims on fire, a scene he afterward that was responsible for the heat
found too horrific to film. transfer that eventually brought them down."
Claim: The first hijacked plane crashed through
the 94th to the 98th floors of the World Trade "Melted" Steel (Continued on Page 13)
Center's 110-story North Tower; the second jet
slammed into the 78th to the 84th floors of the Claim: "We have been lied to," announces the
110-story South Tower. The impact and ensuing Web site AttackOnAmerica.net. "The first lie
The ‘X’ Zone Nation on 9/11:
fires disrupted elevator service in both was that the load of fuel from the aircraft was
buildings. Plus, the lobbies of both buildings the cause of structural failure. No kerosene fire
were visibly damaged before the towers can burn hot enough to melt steel." The posting To this date, I have seen no
collapsed. "There is NO WAY the impact of the is entitled "Proof Of Controlled Demolition At substantive evidence to prove that 9-11
jet caused such widespread damage 80 stories The WTC." was a government hoax. Try to convince
below," claims a posting on the San Diego the 3K families that lost loved ones that
Independent Media Center Web site FACT: Jet fuel burns at 800° to 1500°F, not hot nothing happened!
(sandiego.indymedia.org). "It is OBVIOUS and enough to melt steel (2750°F). However, experts
irrefutable that OTHER EXPLOSIVES (... such agree that for the towers to collapse, their steel Dr. Don K Preston
as concussion bombs) HAD ALREADY BEEN frames didn't need to melt, they just had to lose