The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11

Just before the South Tower was hit, Sean Rooney, on the 98th floor of that tower, left a message for his wife, explaining that a plane had hit the other tower but that he was fine; similarly, Kirsten Christophe, at work on the 104th floor of the South Tower, called her husband’s receptionist to say that she was fine. A loudspeaker in the background of the call reassured workers to stay where they were, as the situation was in the other tower.

The pilot of a New York Police Department (NYPD) helicopter observing the situation in the North Tower had to take evasive action as Flight 175 passed within a few hundred feet of the helicopter. The South Tower immediately burst into flames; both towers were now on fire. Some news anchors immediately described the situation as a terrorist attack; others were hesitant to label it using language that could be inflammatory or incorrect.

Robert Small, on the 72nd floor of the South Tower, was thrown against his desk and onto the floor. Judith Wein, who was waiting in the sky lobby on the 78th floor of the South Tower, was violently thrown, breaking her arm and numerous ribs. Stanley Praimnath, on the 81st floor, clung to furniture to avoid being sucked out by the air pressure.