A unique look at the explosions on the north side, far below the collapse front, just as they begin (see also WNYW Jack Taliercio, Alfie Alvarado, Paul Berriff, and NY1 Empire State cam). Read camera operator Marty Glembotzky‘s account in Running Toward Danger: Stories Behind the Breaking News of 9/11, by The Newseum with Cathy Trost and Alicia C. Shepard (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002, p. 113 – quote below). It seems he mixes together the two collapse events in his mind. Because the North Tower was reportedly leaning. And as the South Tower began crumbling, Burkett said “we had better get out of the way.”
“People started running. We heard someone say that the tower was leaning. (WABC-TV reporter N.J. Burkett) yelled, ‘This is our story! Start rolling!’ I am walking backward. Then he said we had better get out of the way. It was a judgment call on my part. I tilted up, and held for as long as I felt safe. Then I ran for my life.”
This is perhaps the closest view of the event. So, it’s a short view! (See also TV view Jack Taliercio and non-TV Paul Berriff.) Aired 9/11 evening on ABC nationwide. Also, see Burkett’s report on abclocal.go.com.
Raw NIST FOIA: WABC Dub1 87, and release 25 has good versions in mpeg2 (VOB), in folder 42A0105 – G25D15 at 36:34 and 42A0108 – G25D18 at 24:50 (see in HD slow motion, levels enhanced).
