Robert Vagnier oral history interview conducted by Melodie Guerrera, November 11, 2010

About

Robert was a teamster who operated heavy equipment and did road work on 9/11. When he learned of the attacks, he thought of his son who was on his boat off City Island, and set out from his work site in Montauk for the Bronx to ensure his son was safe. Because of road closures and security, it took him from 10 am to 1 am on 9/12/01 to reach the Bronx. He then drove his employer's truck into Manhattan to try to reach the site. He was not able to get there until a day or two later due to all the chaos blocking the area. Robert was not upset or anxious about going to Ground Zero, as he is an experienced diver, having done so to assist police investigations, and is a former volunteer firefighter who witnessed many accidents and deaths. Robert operated a dump truck on the pile, and his job for the first few weeks was to bring debris to the Staten Island landfill. At that time, there were no rules and regulations, and the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel was closed except for trucks. After a few weeks, the site became more organized and the debris was removed by barge. He was unable to wear any safety equipment because it blocked his vision while backing up into a hole, and he feared he would run someone over. Memories that stayed with him are the fires that burned for close to a year and witnessing the discovery of body parts. He worked twelve hours a day and stayed at the Marriott Hotel for approximately two years.

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

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