Into the Choking Smoke

    We’re under attack! Run! Run!” 

    The warning came over firefighter Regina Wilson’s radio. She sprinted to her fire engine. As she did, a huge cloud of black smoke rushed down the street toward her. 

    Then everything went dark. All she could hear was a loud roar. 

    It was September 11, 2001. Lower Manhattan—a busy area of New York City—was full of people running for their lives. But Wilson and other first responders couldn’t run away. 

    They had a job to do.

    So instead of fleeing the disaster, they were rushing toward it.

    Would they make it out alive?

    We’re under attack! Run! Run!”

    The warning came over firefighter Regina Wilson’s radio. She raced to her fire engine.

    A huge cloud of black smoke rushed toward her. Then everything went dark. All she could hear was a loud roar.

    It was September 11, 2001. Lower Manhattan, a busy area of New York City, was full of people running for their lives. But Wilson and other first responders couldn’t run away.

    They had a job to do. Instead of fleeing the disaster, they were rushing toward it.

    Would they make it out alive?

    We’re under attack! Run! Run!”

    The warning came over firefighter Regina Wilson’s radio, and she sprinted to her fire engine. As she did, an enormous cloud of black smoke rushed down the street toward her.

    Then everything went dark. All Wilson could hear was a loud roar.

    It was September 11, 2001. Lower Manhattan—a busy area of New York City—was crowded with people running for their lives. But Wilson and other first responders couldn’t run away.

    They had a job to do.

    So instead of fleeing the disaster, they were rushing toward it.

    Would they make it out alive?

    Not even an hour later, Wilson heard shouting. It was coming from the firehouse’s kitchen. She ran there to see what was happening. Her co-workers were watching TV. On the screen were New York City’s Twin Towers—two of the tallest buildings in the world. And one of them had a giant flaming hole in its side. 

    As Wilson would soon learn, the United States was under attack by a group called Al Qaeda. The group was based in Afghanistan, a country in Asia. It was led by a man named Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden and the men who carried out the attacks were terrorists. (Those are people who use fear or violence to gain power.)

    On September 11, Al Qaeda members took control of four airplanes. Then they crashed them on purpose. One hit the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. military. Another crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. The other two were flown into the Twin Towers. 

    These skyscrapers were part of a big office and shopping complex called the World Trade Center. About 50,000 people went to work there each day. Another 70,000 visited or passed through. For many people, these buildings were symbols of America’s strength and power. 

    Not even an hour later, Wilson heard shouting. It was coming from the firehouse’s kitchen. She ran over. Her co-workers were watching TV. On the screen were New York City’s Twin Towers—two of the tallest buildings in the world. One of them had a huge, flaming hole in its side.

    The United States was under attack by a group called Al Qaeda. The group was based in Afghanistan, a country in Asia. It was led by a man named Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden and the men who carried out the attacks were terrorists. (Those are people who use fear or violence to gain power.)

    On September 11, Al Qaeda members took control of four airplanes. Then they crashed them on purpose. One hit the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. military. One crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. The other two were flown into the Twin Towers.

    These skyscrapers were part of a big office and shopping complex called the World Trade Center. About 50,000 people worked there each day. Another 70,000 visited or passed through. For many people, the buildings were symbols of America’s power.

    Not even an hour later, Wilson heard shouting coming from the firehouse’s kitchen and hurried over to see what was happening. She found her co-workers watching television. On the screen were New York City’s Twin Towers, two of the tallest buildings in the world—and one of them had a massive, flaming hole in its side.

    As Wilson would soon learn, the United States was under attack by a group called Al Qaeda. The group was based in Afghanistan, a country in Asia, and was led by a man named Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden and the men who carried out the attacks were terrorists—people who use fear or violence to gain power.

    On September 11, Al Qaeda members took control of four airplanes and intentionally crashed them. One plane hit the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. military. Another crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. The other two were flown into the Twin Towers.

    These skyscrapers were part of a large office and shopping complex called the World Trade Center. About 50,000 people went to work there each day, and another 70,000 visited or passed through. For many people, these immense structures were symbols of America’s strength and power.

    Back at the firehouse, Chipura’s truck was called out first. Wilson’s engine left next. 

    It raced through the streets of Brooklyn and into a tunnel to Manhattan (see map above). 

    On the other side of the tunnel, the engine entered total chaos. The South Tower had just collapsed. The air was full of smoke. Hundreds of people were running down the street, covered in ash. They looked like ghosts. 

    Wilson and her fellow firefighters knew that help was needed at the North Tower. But on the way there, they heard a terrifying noise.

    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! 

    It was the sound of the North Tower collapsing floor by floor. 

    That’s when the voice on the radio told Wilson to run. She wondered if she was about to die. Then her mind turned to Chipura and the men on Ladder 105. They had left 40 minutes before she did. 

    Could they have been inside one of the towers?

    At the firehouse, Chipura’s truck was called out first. Wilson’s engine left next.

    It raced through the streets of Brooklyn and into a tunnel to Manhattan (see map above).

    On the other side of the tunnel, the engine entered total chaos. The South Tower had just collapsed. The air was full of smoke. Hundreds of people were running down the street, covered in ash. They looked like ghosts.

    Wilson and her fellow firefighters knew that help was needed at the North Tower. But on the way there, they heard a scary noise.

    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

    It was the sound of the North Tower collapsing floor by floor.

    That’s when the voice on the radio told Wilson to run. She wondered if she was about to die. Then she thought of Chipura and the men on Ladder 105. They had left 40 minutes before she did.

    Could they have been in one of the towers?

    Back at the firehouse, Chipura’s truck was called out first. Wilson’s engine left next, racing through the streets of Brooklyn and into a tunnel to Manhattan (see map above).

    On the other side of the tunnel, the engine emerged into total chaos. The South Tower had just collapsed, and the air was thick with smoke. Hundreds of people were running down the street, covered in ash. They looked like ghosts.

    Wilson and her fellow firefighters knew that help was needed at the North Tower—but on the way there, they heard a terrifying noise.

    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

    It was the sound of the North Tower collapsing floor by floor.

    That’s when the voice on the radio told Wilson to run. She wondered if she was about to die. Then her thoughts turned to Chipura and the men on Ladder 105, who had left the firehouse 40 minutes before she had.

    Could they have been inside one of the towers?

    After the smoke cleared, Wilson and the other first responders stayed focused on their jobs. They put out fires. They helped people who were hurt.  

    Throughout it all, Wilson prayed that her co-workers were still alive. At one point, she called her family: “I told them I loved them. I said that if I died, I would have died doing what I loved.”

    Finally, late that night, Wilson returned to her firehouse. She lay down on the floor and fell asleep right away. Ladder 105 hadn’t yet returned. But Wilson hoped the men were simply still hard at work at the Trade Center.

    After the smoke cleared, Wilson and the other first responders kept working. They put out fires. They helped people who were hurt.

    Wilson prayed that her co-workers were still alive. At one point, she called her family: “I told them I loved them. I said that if I died, I would have died doing what I loved.”

    Late that night, Wilson returned to her firehouse. She lay down on the floor and fell asleep. Ladder 105 hadn’t yet returned. Wilson hoped the men were safe.

    After the smoke cleared, Wilson and the other first responders remained focused on their duties. They put out fires and helped people who were injured.

    Throughout the ordeal, Wilson prayed for her co-workers’ survival. At one point, she called her family. “I told them I loved them,” she recalls. “I said that if I died, I would have died doing what I loved.”

    Finally, late that night, Wilson returned to her firehouse. She lay down on the floor and immediately fell asleep. Ladder 105 hadn’t yet returned, but Wilson held out hope that the men were simply still hard at work at the World Trade Center.

    When Wilson woke up the next morning, Chipura and the other men on the truck still weren’t there. Nobody could reach them. 

    Meanwhile, neighbors were gathering to see how they could help. Some brought meals. A woman who lived nearby brought Wilson hairpins. These small acts of kindness meant everything after such a horrible day. 

    That kindness also helped the firefighters when they received terrible news. The Ladder 105 crew had been helping people escape from the South Tower when the building had collapsed. 

    All six men were believed to be dead.

    When Wilson woke up the next morning, Chipura and the other men on the truck still weren’t there. Nobody could reach them.

    Meanwhile, neighbors came to offer help. Some brought meals. A woman brought Wilson hairpins. These acts of kindness meant everything after such a horrible day.

    That kindness also helped the firefighters when they got terrible news. The Ladder 105 crew had been helping people escape from the South Tower when the building collapsed.

    All six men were believed to be dead.

    When Wilson woke up the next morning, Chipura and the other men on the truck still weren’t there—and nobody could reach them.

    Meanwhile, neighbors were gathering to see what they could do to help. Some of them brought meals. A woman who lived nearby brought Wilson hairpins. These small acts of kindness meant everything after such a horrible day.

    That kindness also comforted the firefighters when they received devastating news. The Ladder 105 crew had been helping people escape from the South Tower when the building collapsed.

    All six men were believed to be dead.