Robert Weisberg oral history interview conducted by Julie Broihier, October 1, 2010

About

Robert was a volunteer firefighter and an accountant for a financial software firm across the street from the World Trade Center on 9/11. He had just gotten off the C train when the first plane hit. The explosion rocked the platform and threw passengers down the stairs. He dropped everything but his wallet and cell phone and ran toward the firehouse on Liberty Street and offered his help. The firehouse was chaos: Dazed people milling about, injured ones being carried in by coworkers. There were cuts and bruises, a dislocated shoulder and a woman had been severely burned. There was also a man named Fu with a fractured hip and a briefcase he would not let go of. Two firefighters arrived, Brian Gordon and Brian Smith, who helped with first aid. While they were in the firehouse, the second tower was hit and then fell. The blast rolled in and Robert was caught standing up, swept up in a crush toward the rear exit. When it was finally quiet, there was panic and people were trying to find a way out. People were injured and bleeding. A company of firefighters arrived and they passed the injured out of a window. They evacuated the firehouse and then the second tower fell. They all walked to an office building a few blocks south on Rector Street carrying Fu who could not walk and would not drop his briefcase. It was later discovered the briefcase was packed with cash--a loan from the Chinese government.

Archive

Library of Congress, in Library of Congress

Licence or status

Rights statement at the Library of Congress, as the Library of Congress states it.

Credit

Library of Congress

Language

English

Country

United States

Who can watch

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