Siegel’s famous Hoboken, New Jersey footage ran late into the day. However, by 5:20 PM the camera was in time-lapse mode to conserve tape. This means only 2 seconds of video are available during the building’s descent, followed by a six second pause. Uniquely, however, the [2 seconds of] time 9.5 seconds before “collapse” initiation is captured— along with an audible explosion (accounting for 9.2 seconds time delay [which incidentally is 0.57 seconds too fast. See calculations below.)! It seems two more explosions can be heard, too. Immediately after the event, Siegel began recording in normal mode… which is fascinating because the radio – 1010 WINS – features a witness account describing the elusive audio from nearby.
[T]he ah . . . bottom floors of the building were on fire and, uh, you know we heard this sound that sounded like a clap of thunder . . . turned around we were shocked to see that the building was ah, well it looked like there was a shockwave ripping through the building and a the windows all busted out, you know it was horrifying. Then ah, you know, about a second later the bottom floor caved out and ah the building followed after that and um we saw the building crash all the way to the ground….
See a study of the controversial audio during each of the Twin Towers’ destruction (and seconds prior). Explosion sounds were actually recorded. Or were they?
Compare this view with that of NY1, who was just south of Siegel. Siegel’s position was exactly 2.08 miles from the SW corner of WTC7, at 40d 44m 29.90s N 74d 01m 30.90s W (40.741650N -74.025250W. Thanks YougeneDebs). This means the 9.2 second sound delay should actually be 9.77 (when using his air temperature of 65 F (Siegel’s or Dave Shaw’s – the latter of whom created the 911 Eyewitness Hoboken video from Siegel’s footage [source]). See the relevant maps here, which focus on the towers for the most part— and together show Siegel’s crude map to be the cause for the slight miscalculation.)
