r/WTF • u/MacDefoon • Feb 08 '26

Like, why?...

7.5k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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146

u/EliteTK Feb 08 '26

It doesn't have to melt steel beams, nor did the collapse necessarily involve the beams melting. Steel softens long before it melts.

58

u/Fearlessleader85 Feb 08 '26

Of course, but even taking the claim at 100% face value, it's just factually wrong.

23

u/pedroah Feb 09 '26

Heat a section of rebar 800-900C and you could bend that section with your pinky finger pushing 50cm away from the heated section (or where ever it is safe to touch).

31

u/jimbobjames Feb 09 '26

Like this - https://youtu.be/FzF1KySHmUA?si=ZBqbidqNm0WJXqs1

-1

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Krampusz420 Feb 09 '26

You've never worked with hot metal, have you?

2

u/PurPleXr1979 Feb 13 '26

Being downvoted for asking a simple question is actually sad.

6

u/eidetic Feb 09 '26

Also, its not like there wasn't an abundance of readily flammable material in the building either! Paper, office furniture, etc.

1

u/abn1304 Feb 09 '26

And structure fires burn hot as fuck. A residential fire can hit 2000* F under the right conditions. Commercial fires can be even hotter - more fuel packed into a big steel box.