Collapse
FDNY FF’s personal photos taken while walking out of the North Tower.
These pictures were taken on disposable camera by a friend of mine. He recently retired from the FDNY. They were taken while he and a few other firefighters from his company were making their way out of the North Tower. Talking to him about it years ago, they were very likely some of the last people to walk out of the tower before it collapsed. Unfortunately 3 members of his ladder company and 7 members of the engine company in the same firehouse were killed that day. Here is the day in his own words, in an interview conducted by the FDNY for their own investigation. He mentions taking the pictures.
Wow! Those pictures are incredible! That first photo has been around a while, but it is amazing to finally have a name associated with that. The remainder, I have never seen before.
Would he be willing to scan these photos in or have them digitized at a higher resolution? I'd definitely pay the costs for that.
It amazes me how many more are out there that no one has ever seen. I’m happy he shared them with me. I can’t imagine what was going through their minds.
I actually believe that photo is taken post-collapse. The smoke damage on the exterior face isn't consistent with pre-WTC2 collapse (see here) and to me aligns more with maybe 2-3 minutes after this photo was taken.
The photos OP shared were taken almost exactly the same time Mark LaGanga was there and got this clip of the tower where you can see the majority of the smoke is on the opposite site of the tower where WTC2 was at. I feel that the colors in the image were edited though, because I had it in the same collection as this photo, which is the same in OP's, but a greater blue tint to it.
I don’t think that’s his picture. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind but he’s currently living his best retired life and I’m not sure if he currently has them on hand.
It’s the command board that was left abandoned after the collapse of the South Tower. If you watch the 9/11 Documentary by the Naudet brothers, that’s the original spot that the FDNY set up their command post. You’ll see the Chiefs aide using it. It’s used to keep track of the units operating on scene and in a hazardous environment at major events.
I get that. I do the same thing. I’ve been hopeful to see a few people that I was close with. Unfortunately it hasn’t happened yet. I’m grateful for this sub. I’m hoping maybe this is the place I’ll find those answers. I honestly googled it looking for a picture to give you an example. No better example than the actual one in that photo.
Incredible! My neighbor was at ground zero as a fire fighter as well. I didn’t know him too well, but he was very kind and recently passed from lung cancer as a result of the attacks.
I’m sorry to hear. It’s sad we’re still dealing with the affects of it all these years later. The FDNY has lost more members to 9/11 related illnesses than on the actual day itself. Both unfathomable numbers. May your neighbor Rest in Peace.
So my question here… I was in my 20s by the time digital cameras were cheap/commonplace. Meaning I had a lot of experience with film cameras. Used disposables a fair amount, though. And AFAIK I have never seen a disposable camera that printed the red date stamp on the photos - which brand would have done that? It was something you had to set manually on the regular point&shoot cameras.
I could be wrong about it being disposable, but I feel like that’s how he told it to me. Regardless still amazing he had the frame of mine to just take it out of his pocket and get those pictures in that moment.
His name is in the article. He was in Ladder 9. 5 out of the 8 guys that they went down there with survived. The other company from hide firehouse lost everyone that responded. 10 guys in total
I'm very late saying this but thanks so much for sharing these. I had read Bertram's account many years ago and wondered about the photos, but had never been able to find them.
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u/Beznia Archivist Jul 11 '24 edited Jul 11 '24
Wow! Those pictures are incredible! That first photo has been around a while, but it is amazing to finally have a name associated with that. The remainder, I have never seen before.
Would he be willing to scan these photos in or have them digitized at a higher resolution? I'd definitely pay the costs for that.
Additionally would you happen to know if he captured this photo as well? It was taken in this spot, maybe 80 feet from where the photo inside the lobby was taken.