The following transcript is the live reaction of a New York-based Internet community to the events of September 11, 2001. Like the e-mails people sent, the taped phone messages, and the “Missing” posters pasted downtown, it’s an unmediated artifact of what happened that day. The difference is, it’s a communal conversation.

The community in question is ECHO (a.k.a. East Coast Hangout), one of the earliest online discussion boards, founded in 1990. On September 11, ECHO founder Stacy Horn made the first post at 8:47 a.m.: A PLANE JUST HIT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. What followed were weeks of live posting as ECHO members—most of them New Yorkers—responded to events as they occurred.

This excerpt runs from 8:47 until 10:46, and it consists of a series of comments on a post titled “Item 245: Breaking News.” The posts can be very disturbing to read, since they so vividly replicate the raw, chaotic state of mind of New Yorkers trying to wrestle with the events of the day. But they also capture with moving precision the way people worked together, even in the midst of great confusion, to trade information and offer support in the moments when no one knew what was going to happen next.

11-SEP-01 8:47 Stacy Horn

A PLANE JUST CRASHED INTO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

11-SEP-01 8:49 Stacy Horn

Oh god. I’m shaking. A plane just went by my window, it was flying WAY too low, and I was thinking, “How ironic,” I wrote about this in my book, and it crashed.

Oh God, people are dead now. Oh god.

11-SEP-01 8:50 Cathy

Where did you hear? I have the Today show on. No bulletin.

11-SEP-01 8:51Stacy Horn

I SAW IT. It just happened, too soon for radio and TV.

11-SEP-01 8:51 Cathy

There’s the bulletin!!! Oh God!

11-SEP-01 8:51 Stacy Horn

I’m freaking out. I called 911 and it was busy.

11-SEP-01 8:55 Stacy Horn

I didn’t see the hit, I saw the plane go by (TOO LOW) and heard the crash which was AWFUL. Then I stood up and saw the big GAPING hole (I can see the World Trade from where I am.)

11-SEP-01 8:56 just charlene

There is a huge fucking hole in the side of the WTC!

11-SEP-01 8:56 starla

what kind of plane was it?

11-SEP-01 8:57 Ellen

I think I heard the crash all the way up here. Oh god.

11-SEP-01 8:57 Stacy Horn

Jet. A big jet.

11-SEP-01 8:57 Pez

It’s on AM 820. NPR’s FM signal has been knocked out and an eyewitness is now speaking.

Apparently it was an American Airlines jet. A real commercial airplane.

11-SEP-01 8:57 just charlene

someone guessed that it was a 737.

11-SEP-01 8:57 Cathy

The plane is in the building!!!! I can’t believe this!!!

11-SEP-01 8:57 Pez

What do you think happened to the PLANE?? Where is it????

11-SEP-01 8:58 Luna grumble

Huge fire 10 or so stories from the top–North side of tower #1, the one with the antenna.

11-SEP-01 8:58 Pez

Stuck inside the building????

11-SEP-01 8:58 Cathy

yes!

11-SEP-01 8:58 Ellen

Watching on NY1 now. Those poor people.

11-SEP-01 8:59 Chalres

Horrible.

11-SEP-01 8:59 Pez

I can’t see the photos – does it seem possible anyone survived the crash?

11-SEP-01 9:00 Luna grumble

Whoa! Just turned on the TV! That is one huge hole!

Oy!

11-SEP-01 9:00 Chalres

My housemate’s brother just called his family to tell them he escaped okay. He works just a few floors below.

11-SEP-01 9:01 Pez

He was there?????????

Holy fuck.

11-SEP-01 9:01 Pez

What did he have to say? Anything?

11-SEP-01 9:01 Ellen

Thank god, Charles.

11-SEP-01 9:03 Pez

A reporter is now saying there was a second explosion in the second building??

11-SEP-01 9:04 Luna grumble

Holy SHIT!!! Explosion in the other tower!!!

11-SEP-01 9:04 Stacy Horn

THE SECOND BUILDING JUST EXPLODED. THE PLANE MUST HAVE EXPLODED.

11-SEP-01 9:04 Pez

The 1010WINS anchor is saying “Did you see ANOTHER plane crash into the second building?” WHAT?

11-SEP-01 9:05 Kevin

A second plane hit the other building.

11-SEP-01 9:05 Pez

I had the mistaken idea that it was still early morning (I’m oblivious) but I now realize there must be thousands of people at work in there right now. I can’t believe this.

11-SEP-01 9:05 Chalres

Kevin: WHAT???

11-SEP-01 9:06 Kevin

Two planes, one targeted each tower. They feel they were loaded with bombs.

11-SEP-01 9:06 Chalres

I’m going down to another office where they have the TV on.

11-SEP-01 9:09 starla

oh my god oh my god

11-SEP-01 9:10 Twang

Oh my god. I heard and saw the plane too, as I walked up Park. I looked up and thought my god that’s flying low.

Then I arrived at the office 10 minutes later and saw it on TV. Then I looked out the window and realized I can see the towers from here, and the damage.

This is just too horrible. I hope everyone’s loved ones are safe.

11-SEP-01 9:10 Stacy Horn

Is this a terrorist attack?? The first plane looked like a commercial jet.

11-SEP-01 9:10 myrna

Yeah, the second plane clearly hit deliberately. It happened live on CNN.

11-SEP-01 9:11 Pez

So, the planes are stuck inside the buildings right now. right?

11-SEP-01 9:11 myrna

I feel ill. Jesus christ. It looks like about ten floors in each building are gone.

11-SEP-01 9:12 Chalres

I just saw it on CNN. It is absolutely unbelievable.

11-SEP-01 9:13 myrna

Oh god, they just said a jet had been hijacked.

11-SEP-01 9:13 Ellen

Every emergency vehicle in the building is heading down there by the sound of it.

11-SEP-01 9:14 Ellen

SOrry, in the city. Shaken, here.

11-SEP-01 9:15 myrna

(That was so freaky: as they switched to commercial you could hear the CNN anchors flipping out, since they left the sound on. “Oh my god.” “Would you move that over?” And then a very annoyed, “Charlie!”)

11-SEP-01 9:16 howl

We’ve been attacked.

11-SEP-01 9:18 Cathy

I have a friend who thinks her children are there. Grown children, adults who work there. She’s trying to reach them now. I’m in shock. Shaking.

11-SEP-01 9:18 Margaret

oh god, this was terrorism? oh no. I can’t believe you actually saw this, Stacy, Twang.

11-SEP-01 9:18 Fish

Holy shit–my mother works at the WTC.

11-SEP-01 9:20 Secret Agent Mop

I am stunned.

11-SEP-01 9:21 placebo

oh god Fish

11-SEP-01 9:21 elkay loathed that Other Boss

going to watch tv now. can’t get anything over the web, too much traffic i guess.

11-SEP-01 9:21 elkay loathed that Other Boss

i feel sick.

11-SEP-01 9:22 Chalres

Yeah, most of the news sites are unreachable now.

11-SEP-01 9:22 starla

cbs is reporting that the fbi is investigation the possibility of two hijackings/suicide bombings.

11-SEP-01 9:22 Cathy

Why aren’t I getting NBC or Fox right now? Does anyone else have this problem?

11-SEP-01 9:23 starla

all local airports are closed. newark, kennedy, laguardia, teterboro. not sure about white plains or islip.

11-SEP-01 9:23 howl

Getting them here.

11-SEP-01 9:23 Luna grumble

Nope, getting all news/network channels.

11-SEP-01 9:23 Chalres

The transmitting towers on the WTC are probably fucked, no?

11-SEP-01 9:23 Lala

Holy God, Fish. Praying for you and your Mom.

11-SEP-01 9:23 Ellen

The tv stations are going in and out. I remember from the last time the WTC was bombed, they all had their towers there, and all the signals were knocked out.

11-SEP-01 9:24 Luna grumble

Lincoln and Holland Tunnels also closed. UN evacuated.

11-SEP-01 9:24 placebo

they must be

I turned on my TV and all there was was snow.

Getting the news now.

11-SEP-01 9:25 howl

NYC FM is off the air.

11-SEP-01 9:25 Luna grumble

Oy, Fish–sending good thoughts for safety.

11-SEP-01 9:25 He was no jester upon sacred things

The NBC employees at Rock Center have all been sent home, building closed.

11-SEP-01 9:26 Margaret

oh, Fish, I hope your mother is all right.

11-SEP-01 9:27 Fish

I’m really really freaking out.

11-SEP-01 9:27 Ellen

I hope it’s okay, Fish.

11-SEP-01 9:28 Lizbet

They’re saying on ABC that the second plane was a commercial plane, and there’s also unconfirmed reports of a plane recently hijacked…

11-SEP-01 9:28 He was no jester upon sacred things

I’m sure she’s OK, Fish.

11-SEP-01 9:29 Brian. Minnesotan. The.

holy fuck. I just woke up this morning and heard the hubub. If this WAS Osama Bin Laden, I want the fuck taken out. Oh man. Praying for everyone involved, especially Fish’s mom.

11-SEP-01 9:29 Ellen

Just tried to make two long distance calls to Philly and Boston and couldn’t.

11-SEP-01 9:30 howl

NYC said two planes might have been hijacked.

11-SEP-01 9:30 howl

Bush is talking.

11-SEP-01 9:30 Kevin

Phone lines are probably jammed with calls. The cell phone service in that area is certainly out.

11-SEP-01 9:30 Lala

Heard the second plane might have been an AA flight from Boston to LA that was hijacked.

11-SEP-01 9:31 Kevin

Bush says “wants to hunt down those guys”.

11-SEP-01 9:31 howl

He didn’t really have anything to say, but he used the word terrorism.

11-SEP-01 9:31 Truly Madly Luce-Id

Simpleton.

11-SEP-01 9:32 Margaret

Those guys? are they sure then?

11-SEP-01 9:32 Secret Agent Mop

Yeah, the phones here are fucked. I tried calling Ivan (Jag) at work (at the NYSE) – got through to leave a message, but not to his cell or home phone.

I know it’s been evacuated, but still, I worry.

11-SEP-01 9:33 Kevin

Full resources of the Government to their aid. I think it’s too early, he doesn’t have any information.

11-SEP-01 9:33 He was no jester upon sacred

Are there any damn news websites that are up?

11-SEP-01 9:33 Chalres

I got onto MSNBC for a moment. No more.

11-SEP-01 9:33 Kevin

CNN works, cable works on LI.

11-SEP-01 9:33 starla

i can get to dailynews.yahoo.com

11-SEP-01 9:34 He was no jester upon sacred things

I can’t get into any of them.

11-SEP-01 9:34 Kevin

I lost internet connectivity for about 15 minutes, but now it’s back.

11-SEP-01 9:34 Secret Agent Mop

Me neither.

11-SEP-01 9:34 Luna grumble

A guy just called ABC to say he’s stuck on 86th floor of tower 1. Jim Gartenberg. He did say that where he is the situation is under control and safe right now. Wanted families to know that.

11-SEP-01 9:35 Kevin

Nothing known yet anyway. They have video tape of the second plane hitting the South building.

11-SEP-01 9:35 Stacy Horn

How helpful.

11-SEP-01 9:35 Stacy Horn

(My post was in response to George Bush’s statement.)

11-SEP-01 9:36 howl

They’re closing bridges and tunnels. New York is being shut down.

11-SEP-01 9:37 Jackie Blue

I just got a call that my friends who work on a high floor there are OK. Thank god. I can’t believe this is happening.

11-SEP-01 9:37 howl

ABC is talking about another plane heading this way. No confirmation.

11-SEP-01 9:38 Kevin

The North tower (first hit) has some serious flames still burning. AA 767 from Boston hit the North building first. That’s a big plane.

11-SEP-01 9:40 Lala

Hearing a news report about an explostionat the Pentagon. Thought I heard a distant blast/rumble, but it’s sunny here, no thunder.

11-SEP-01 9:41 Chalres

Oh God.

11-SEP-01 9:41 howl

Is that definite about the pentagon, lala?

11-SEP-01 9:41 Stacy Horn

A PLANE JUST CRASHED INTO THE PENTAGON.

11-SEP-01 9:41 howl

Shit.

11-SEP-01 9:41 Chalres

Fuck us all.

11-SEP-01 9:41 Cathy

reports of fire at the Pentagon.

11-SEP-01 9:41 fancy couch seeks storage solution

i was just standing in union square for about a half hour staring at the smoke and flames…from all the way up here i can see flames…i heard two planes…terrorism. the thought of all that early-morning foot traffic and two huge planes on the ground. holy fucking shit. i feel really sick. praying, praying.

11-SEP-01 9:41 fancy couch seeks storage solution

fucking pentagon.

11-SEP-01 9:42 Secret Agent Mop

Jesus Christ.

11-SEP-01 9:42 Lala

The Pentagon is a mile (maybe less) from national Airport as the crow flies.

11-SEP-01 9:43 Kevin

CNN.COM seems to be out.

And MSMBC.COM.

11-SEP-01 9:43 Brian. Minnesotan. The.

FoxNews says the Pentagon and White House are being evacuated.

no news about other explosions.

11-SEP-01 9:43 Chalres

I can’t get the Washington Post or anything else either.

11-SEP-01 9:43 Brian. Minnesotan. The.

Now FoxNews says a plane crashed on Interstate 395 in DC

11-SEP-01 9:43 Justine

AP, NYTimes, CNN sites are all impossible to get on. Looks like radio and TV are the only ones transmitting now - try WNYC AM.

Fuck. Something just made smoke in Washington DC.

Look at ABC.

11-SEP-01 9:44 Brian. Minnesotan. The.

now they say its the pentagon

11-SEP-01 9:44 Kevin

“The White House has ordered an immediate evacuation of the White House”.

11-SEP-01 9:44 fancy couch seeks storage solution

fuck.

11-SEP-01 9:44 placebo

Pentagon hit by an airplane

11-SEP-01 9:44 placebo

White House evacuated.

11-SEP-01 9:44 howl

Do I get my daughter out of school?

I wonder if the schools are closing.

11-SEP-01 9:45 Smoke

The pentagon has been hit as well.

11-SEP-01 9:46 placebo

report of fire on Washington Mall.

11-SEP-01 9:46 Kevin

The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine is claiming responsibility for the WTC attack.

11-SEP-01 9:46 Lala

Can see the smoke from the Pentagon from my balcony. Morbid aside: the hot dog stand at in the courtyard at the center of the Pentagon is called (colloquially) the Ground Zero Cafe.”

11-SEP-01 9:46 Stacy Horn

I was on the phone with my boss at NPR in DC, he told me about the pentagon.

11-SEP-01 9:47 Rat

Fire in the Washington Mall as well. The Pentagon was also hit by a plane.

11-SEP-01 9:47 Ellen

What the fuck is the CIA doing that three planes can crash into things and we have no clue??

11-SEP-01 9:47 Margaret

holy shit, this is totally unbelievable now.

11-SEP-01 9:48 placebo

the one plane was from Boston; it was hijacked.

11-SEP-01 9:48 Stacy Horn

Doesn’t the Pentagon have super duper air defense??

11-SEP-01 9:48 Chalres

Doesn’t all of Washington??

11-SEP-01 9:48 Stacy Horn

What next??

11-SEP-01 9:48 howl

If we see antoher plane coming this way, what could we do? We don’t have anti-aircraft, can’t shoot anythingdown over the city anyway.

11-SEP-01 9:48 Kevin

People jumping from the WTC to escape smoke and flames. This is horrible.

11-SEP-01 9:48 Ellen

They will after this. A big advertisment for air missile defense.

11-SEP-01 9:48 Justine

The sight of Bush, the sound of his stupid voice, on TV is so unbelievably annoying, on such a miserable day.

Fuck it. IT’s primary day. I’m gonna go vote. Somehow I don’t think a plane’s going to smash into a polling place in Flatbush, Brooklyn, or wherever it is I’m supposed to go.

11-SEP-01 9:49 crepuscule with bennie

How? The windows don’t open.

11-SEP-01 9:49 howl

(There’s the conspiracy theory, Ellen.)

11-SEP-01 9:49 Ellen

(Seriously, I know I said this when Bush was elected, that something would be manufactured so we’d go to war.)

11-SEP-01 9:49 Brian. Minnesotan. The.

Supposedly surviors from the crash are jumping out of the holes in the buildings

11-SEP-01 9:50 Joan

pedestrians are swarming the Brooklyn Bridge.

11-SEP-01 9:50 Brian. Minnesotan. The.

I can’t think this was manufactured. That’s just a horrible thought

11-SEP-01 9:50 Stacy Horn

There are NO planes flying over Manhattan now. All airports and airways shut down.

11-SEP-01 9:50 Stacy Horn

I just heaard all the airports in the country have been shut down.

11-SEP-01 9:50 Kevin

Just relaying eye witness reports. There are holes the the building now.

All planes in the air are ordered to land. They only want military planes in the air.

11-SEP-01 9:50 Brian. Minnesotan. The.

That airport thing has been expanded to the entire country now

11-SEP-01 9:52 placebo

oh god oh god. People jumping????? How horrible.

11-SEP-01 9:52 fancy couch seeks storage solution

i don’t know what to do.

11-SEP-01 9:52 howl

There’s nothing for us to do.

11-SEP-01 9:53 placebo

those of us who believe in or take comfort from praying can do that.

11-SEP-01 9:53 Kevin

They only want military aircraft in the skys. I suspect they will shoot down anything that won’t land.

The Secret Service received threats of an attack against the White House.

11-SEP-01 9:53 Amy R.

Yup. We’re having a meeting at work in a few minutes, but I’m assuming that emergency services are so overloaded that there are no formal plans as to what to do.

11-SEP-01 9:53 Ellen

No dial tone now.

11-SEP-01 9:53 Lala

Yes, DC has super-duper air defense, but as I said, the Pentagon (and the White House/Mall/Capitol for that matter) are more or less *on* the flight path to National - which goes straight down the middle of the Potomac.

11-SEP-01 9:54 placebo

I haven’t had a dial tone since my mother called to let me know that this was happening. Only getting one tv channel, badly.

Bush would call to nuke the West Bank and almost all the Arab states and do it without NATO’s ok

11-SEP-01 9:55 Kevin

Yes, when I fly to DC I pass very close to the Pentagon. It would be hard to determine an attack from a regular landing.

11-SEP-01 9:59 jneil

The top pf the tower just collaped

11-SEP-01 10:00 placebo

oh god it’s collapsing

11-SEP-01 10:00 Secret Agent Mop

There was a “credible threat” made against the White House, hence the evacuation

11-SEP-01 10:00 placebo

top the top it collapsed

11-SEP-01 10:00 Joan

oh my god, one of the towers just collapsed.

11-SEP-01 10:00 Kevin

Subways are closed.

A third explosion in the WTC area!

11-SEP-01 10:00 placebo

it fell to the ground oh god

11-SEP-01 10:00 placebo

oh god this has been a living hell for those people in there

11-SEP-01 10:00 Joan

the whole BUILDING

11-SEP-01 10:01 Margaret

Mark, who works in the area, called me from Chelsea – they felt the impact in his building, and could see pieces of flaming debris falling outside. He and a cow worker walked to Rector St. and were able to get a subway before they closed them.

11-SEP-01 10:02 Kevin

The South tower has collapsed.

11-SEP-01 10:02 Margaret

jesus, the entire building? did they evacuate before this happened? my god.

11-SEP-01 10:02 isbn

the ENTIRE TOWEER has just collapsed

11-SEP-01 10:02 isbn

how can this HAPPEN? oh my god the people in there oh my god

11-SEP-01 10:03 Lulu

The south Tower has just collapsed.

11-SEP-01 10:04 placebo

three high schools in that area. Students are being kept inside. My b/f works in one of them.

11-SEP-01 10:04 Leslie K.

A reporter on the scene on 1010 WINS basically said she heard an explosion and saw it topple over, but there’s so much smoke and debris she can’t even tell which direction it fell.

11-SEP-01 10:04 Lulu

I don’t know if it is the whole Tower. You can’t see anything in the picture.

11-SEP-01 10:04 Leslie K.

They’re saying on the radio that it’s the whole thing… .

11-SEP-01 10:04 placebo

oh what a nightmare for those poor people in there.

11-SEP-01 10:04 art

PLEASE IF ANYBODY SEES MY SISTER, LIZL, ONLINE, HAVE HER LEAVE ME A MESSAGE ON ECHO OR AT WORK. I can’t reach her by phone. She doesn’t live or work near the WTC, but I’m not sure where her husband works and I just want to make sure they’re okay.

Phone number at work: XXX-XXX-XXXX.

THANK YOU.

11-SEP-01 10:05 Lala

It looks like the entire southern tip of Manhattan is engulfed in thick smoke. That has to be dangerous to breathe.

11-SEP-01 10:05 Lulu

So, if the whole country is under attack, what the fuck are we supposed to do?

11-SEP-01 10:06 placebo

I can’t make a call. “All circuits are busy”.

11-SEP-01 10:08 Chalres

I think every major U.S. city has evacuations going on.

11-SEP-01 10:08 placebo

two elementary schools in immediate area – kids are being kept inside.

11-SEP-01 10:08 Cathy

I can’t reach anyone in the city. Fuck.

11-SEP-01 10:08 placebo

Evacuated Sears Tower in CHI.

11-SEP-01 10:08 Lulu

It seems it is the entire tower has collapsed. The whole building–if the smoke ever clears, it won’t be there.

11-SEP-01 10:08 Stacy Horn

I was on the phone to DC before, haven’t tried in the past half hour though.

11-SEP-01 10:08 He was no jester upon sacred things

My phones are working fine, within the city, out to Long Island.

11-SEP-01 10:09 Joan

jesus. I can see this out my window. just tons and tons of smoke.

11-SEP-01 10:09 placebo

cellphones inside the hospitals that are receiving patients are down; internal communication compromised in the HOSPITALS! (Report from Bellvue.)

11-SEP-01 10:10 Joan

and now we’re hearing the jet fighters flying overhead.

11-SEP-01 10:10 Lala

Major window-rattling explosion here!

11-SEP-01 10:10 placebo

2nd plane may have come from Newark Airport.

11-SEP-01 10:11 Lala

Much louder than the first Pentagon explosion.

11-SEP-01 10:11 placebo

Lala what do you mean?! ANOTHER one?

11-SEP-01 10:11 Lala

YES!

11-SEP-01 10:12 Lulu

AN explosion on Capitol Hill they are saying on TV.

11-SEP-01 10:12 placebo

wait wait you’re in DC???

11-SEP-01 10:12 Secret Agent Mop

For those of us sans radio, TV, Web, etc.: This is *yet another* explosion – on Capital Hill?

11-SEP-01 10:12 Lala

Placebo? I’m in Arlington. Two miles south of Pentagon.

11-SEP-01 10:13 Lulu

Lala is in DC.

11-SEP-01 10:13 Luna grumble

Explosion on Capitol Hill.

11-SEP-01 10:13 Lala

Yes. Another explosion.

11-SEP-01 10:16 placebo

Lala – ok – yes, now they’re reporting it on CBS TV in NYC.

11-SEP-01 10:16 KZ

my brother in law was in a meeting on capitol hill this morning. i think he was evacuated a little while ago. can’t reach anyone. feel so helpless.

11-SEP-01 10:17 Secret Agent Mop

Me too.

11-SEP-01 10:17 fancy couch seeks storage solution

another building just blew up next to the wtc. tower is toast…

11-SEP-01 10:18 Lulu

American Airlines out of Boston to LA, they believe is one of the planes that was hijacked and taken into the WTC. If it were full it would have 158 passenger.

The South Tower is completely gone, people saw people falling through the sky. Good, God.

11-SEP-01 10:19 Kevin

All European flights to the US have been suspended.

11-SEP-01 10:19 Lala

Praying very hard that Fish’s mother is OK and was evacuated.

11-SEP-01 10:19 Duckstrap

My mom works in the state department. Can’t get through.

11-SEP-01 10:20 isbn

another building blew up? as an after shock reaction??

11-SEP-01 10:20 Lala

State department has been evacuated.

11-SEP-01 10:21 fancy couch seeks storage solution

sitting here not knowing what to do. manhattan is sealed. i work close to the empire state building. i’m thinking i should get the fuck out of here.

11-SEP-01 10:22 Pez

Yes, I think you should. Apparently they’re letting people evacuate the island on foot (over hte Brooklyn Bridge).

11-SEP-01 10:22 Lulu

Yes, go home.

11-SEP-01 10:22 Amy R.

We were told to stay put if we can, as it may be more dangerous on the street.

My office manager today on the phone with someone: life as we know it is never going to be the same.

11-SEP-01 10:23 Chalres

No, everything’s just been changed for us. Whatever else happens or doesn’t happen.

11-SEP-01 10:24 Kevin

A car bomb has exploded outside the State Department in DC.

11-SEP-01 10:24 ragged paul

Now we know how people in those other countries feel

11-SEP-01 10:24 howl

Get out of the Empire State B., please.

Just went out to Astor Place; smoke to the south, fire engines rush downtown; people heading uptown.

11-SEP-01 10:25 starla

philadelphia stock exchange is being evacuated.

11-SEP-01 10:25 Chalres

rp: Yep, and we thought we knew that in 1993.

11-SEP-01 10:25 howl

CNN just said there was no explosion at the Capitol.

11-SEP-01 10:25 starla

also, i can’t reach a lot of the internet, fwiw.

11-SEP-01 10:25 starla

independence park has also been shut down.

11-SEP-01 10:25 Fish

Still waiting to hear something, but even if she’s ok it could be hours before she can get out and to a working phone.

I feel sick.

11-SEP-01 10:26 Kevin

Praying for her. For everyone.

11-SEP-01 10:26 mugsy

Our thoughts are with you!

11-SEP-01 10:26 isbn

praying for everyone.

why would anyone DO this.

11-SEP-01 10:27 cricket

I’m going to throw up.

11-SEP-01 10:27 Tycho Magnetic Anomaly

Car bomb has exploded outside State Dept.

11-SEP-01 10:27 Joey X

praying here too. this is beyond terrible.

11-SEP-01 10:28 jae cen

what is the significance of this date? there has to be one.

i can’t believe this is happening. i’m waiting to hear about the transamerica building now.

this isn’t happening.

11-SEP-01 10:28 Amy R.

I’m sick from this, and worried about a co-worker who’s not in yet.

11-SEP-01 10:28 starla

i was wondering the same thing, jae.

11-SEP-01 10:28 cricket

the 2nd tower collapsed!

11-SEP-01 10:28 Kevin

The North Tower has collapsed.

11-SEP-01 10:29 jneil

Both towers are down.

11-SEP-01 10:29 Luna grumble

North Tower down, too. God, Fish, I hope your mom is out. You’re in my thoughts.

11-SEP-01 10:29 alto artist

Oh my god. I listened to this unfold while I was at the gym. No one knew what to do–we just kept on exercising, in some kind of surreal, unbelieving funk. Then I ran the block home, heart pounding, past stores where people were crowding around the TV, past onlookers pointing to the sky. I was terrified…I’ve never been so glad to be home. Now watching on CNN what I heard an hour ago. Called my best friend who lives downtown–she’s OK.

Now I hear sirens going up Broadway

11-SEP-01 10:30 alto artist

what?? The other tower??

11-SEP-01 10:30 Joey X

oh man, Fish, you and your mom are in my thoughts.

11-SEP-01 10:30 fancy couch seeks storage solution

no WTC left. it’s gone.

11-SEP-01 10:30 alto artist

We’re a week away from the Jewish holidays. I wonder if that is significant.\

11-SEP-01 10:31 alto artist

Praying for everyone who’s looking for friends and family.

11-SEP-01 10:31 fancy couch seeks storage solution

alto, i was thinking of that too.

11-SEP-01 10:32 Fish

And I can’t get any phone lines out. Now I am also worried about my mentally ill brother who will no doubt be freaking.

11-SEP-01 10:33 placebo

DONATE BLOOD

11-SEP-01 10:33 Joan

we’re now smelling the smoke in Brooklyn.

11-SEP-01 10:34 jae cen

i don’t want to seem callous, but if you’re dialed up to connect to echo, please hang up so we can get calls into NY.

11-SEP-01 10:34 Skyvue

Has there been any word on where on one can go to donate blood?

11-SEP-01 10:34 Luna grumble

I suspect any hospital.

11-SEP-01 10:35 Joey X

they were having a blood drive at the Grace building today but I think we are >this< close to shutting down here.

11-SEP-01 10:36 art 11-SEP-01 10:35

Lizl and husband are okay.

Praying for fish and duckstrap.

11-SEP-01 10:36 Duckstrap

fox news says another hijacked plane enroute to d.c.

11-SEP-01 10:36 Slobber goes to Hell

Feel sick.

11-SEP-01 10:36 ragged paul

aw geez

11-SEP-01 10:37 Lala

Hoping duckstrap’s Mom got evacuated in time.

11-SEP-01 10:37 placebo

for donating blood I would guess go uptown and stay away from the downtown area but I don’t know.

AFAIK blood is not accepted from people who have genital herpes, HIV, etc. or who’ve eaten beef in Europe lately.

I am on echo through a DSL connection. Yes we should free up phone circuits if our calls are not urgent.

11-SEP-01 10:37 Joan

just heard they cancelled the NY primary today. where the fuck IS our lovely mayor, anyway?

11-SEP-01 10:39 placebo

I cannot believe this. Somehow it’s really happening. I can’t believe it.

11-SEP-01 10:39 starla

cbs reports a plane crash outside of pittsburgh

11-SEP-01 10:40 Tycho Magnetic Anomaly

ABC reporting the same thing.

11-SEP-01 10:40 alto artist

CBS, too.

11-SEP-01 10:41 alto artist

Primaries cancelled.

11-SEP-01 10:41 Fish

this is unreal

11-SEP-01 10:41 alto artist

All of NYC on full terrorism alert. Part of the Pentagon has collapsed.

11-SEP-01 10:41 howl

Another plane hijacked.

11-SEP-01 10:42 alto artist

Just got an email from Panix:

“We have lost most of our New York City dialups. It is not clear whether or not this is related to the World Trade Center disaster, or when we will be able to fix it. Our apologies for any inconvenience.

You may have trouble reaching us in the office. Our voice phone lines there seem to be functioning, but we are going to be short-staffed today because of transportation problems.”

11-SEP-01 10:42 Lala

I used to spend a lot of time on that side of the Pentagon. Know people w ho work in that corridor.

11-SEP-01 10:42 alto artist

stock exchange being evacuated.

11-SEP-01 10:42 crepuscule with bennie

Yeah, I called in terrorized, I imagine others have too.

11-SEP-01 10:42 Fish

Where the hell are they getting more planes?

11-SEP-01 10:43 isbn

i emailed in, i coulnd’t call

11-SEP-01 10:43 Lala

I can hear the constant rumble of fighters overhead.

11-SEP-01 10:43 dana, karmic CPA

jesus christ. jenn called a few minutes after nine to tell me what she could see, and I have been glued to the television since then. dunno where she is now. brooklyn I think. brooklyn’s okay, right?

fish, I hope you can reach your mom and bro soon. how awful to be unable to reach them.

11-SEP-01 10:43 alto artist

Fire at the Washington Mall. Explosion at the State Department. All bridges and tunnels in Manhattan closed.

11-SEP-01 10:44 jae cen

the pittsburgh plane crashed outside pittsburgh.

if the pilot decided to take down the plane because it was hijacked rather than take out thousands more people, him and all those passengers need to be considered martyrs.

11-SEP-01 10:45 alto artist

God, I don’t know what to do. I have appointments to keep, deadlines…I’m numb and terrified.

11-SEP-01 10:45 Lala

I have no water. I assume water pressure is gone because of firefighting at Pentagon.

11-SEP-01 10:46 isbn

we all are. we all are.

[Editor’s note: Fish heard from her mother that afternoon—she had been evacuated after the first plane hit and was safe.]