Chris oral history interview conducted by Dr. Benjamin Luft, August 23, 2010

About

Chris was a general manager and co-owner of an environmental cleanup company that cleaned buildings for insurance companies. He did not start work near Ground Zero until he was called by an insurance company in early October to give an estimate on cleaning condominiums near the WTC. He had previously done work at the WTC removing asbestos and knew of the danger of toxins. Chris worked long days in the beginning of his time at Ground Zero-- from 5 AM to 1 AM. He spent the first six months staying at the Marriott in midtown Manhattan to avoid commuting to his home in Sayville. At the time he was at the hotel, there were only 6 or 7 rooms taken, and he did not hear a taxi beep for three months. The first time he went to Ground Zero, he said Penn Station was like a "ghost town" and flyers were all over the walls from people looking for their loved ones. Adrenaline drove him and he was focused to get the job done. Since it was such a "gorgeous day" on 9/11, many people had their windows open, and the dust in the buildings was about 1-2 inches thick. He knew the dust was silicate (concrete) dust, but it was "impossible to protect yourself all of the time."

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Library of Congress

Language

English

Country

United States

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