The fireman's quote saying all that was needed was two
fire hoses to put out the fires is taken out of context by conspiracy
theorists. They even bring the dead fireman's wife into the picture. From a
well known conspiracy theory site...
“Seven minutes
before the collapse, battalion chief Palmer is heard to say
"Ladder 15, we've got two isolated pockets of fire. We
should be able to knock it down with two lines." The widow
of Chief Palmer was allowed to hear the tape before excerpts
were released by the Times. She said:
I didn't hear
fear, I didn't hear panic. When the tape is made
public to the world, people will hear that they all
went about their jobs without fear, and selflessly.
Palmer called for a
pair of engine companies to fight the fires. The fact that
veteran firefighters showed no sign of fear or panic, and
had a coherent plan for fighting the fire, contradicts the
official explanation of the collapses that the fires were so
hot and extensive that they weakened the steel structure. “
Firefighter's
quotes are routinely taken out of context by 9/11 conspiracy
sites. The conspiracy theorists use the quote above to suggest the
fire was never large enough to cause the steel to melt. Let's forget that the
NIST never said the steel needed to melt for a moment. But the steel did have to
have enough fire to expand and weaken the steel. They point to the fireman saying "We
should be able to knock it down with two lines" as in two fire hoses. Sounds
small, doesn't it? But let's examine the quote further...
"Battalion Seven Chief: "Battalion Seven ... Ladder 15,
we've got two isolated pockets of fire. We should be able to knock it down with
two lines. Radio that, 78th floor numerous 10-45 Code Ones."
Ladder 15: "What stair are you in, Orio?"
Battalion Seven Aide: "Seven Alpha to lobby command post."
Ladder Fifteen: "Fifteen to Battalion Seven."
Battalion Seven Chief: "... Ladder 15."
Ladder 15: "Chief, what stair you in?"
Battalion Seven Chief: "South stairway Adam, South Tower."
The glaringly
obvious logical problems with using Orio Palmers quote are:
Orio Palmer was in
the South Staircase (Adam) on the South Tower which was not
damaged because of large, heavily constructed elevator equipment
which protected it.
It’s not
unreasonable to expect two small fires on a floor where only a
wing tip entered. What was above those floors is the question
not answered by the fireman’s quote.
The 78th
floor was a sky lobby
which didn’t have much office furniture to catch fire. If there were two
small fires on the 78th floor where just a wing tip entered,
what must the 81st floor be like where the nose of the aircraft
hit?
If there were small
fires on the 78th floor just before collapse, does
that mean the 78th floor never had larger fires?
If he was in the
staircase which is in the core, how would he know the perimeter
columns were about to get pulled in?
If he did see the
building was about to collapse, why would they predict he would
get on the radio instead of take immediate action to save his
life?
Why do they think
the visibility from the smoke of two small fires were such that
he could see to the four corners of the building?
Why are they
using this quote as a ruler by which to measure the whole
building?
This quote was obviously chosen to give the reader the
impression that there were only small fires throughout the
event. But what is
telling is the characterization of the quote. The writer says it
“contradicts the official explanation”. It would actually
confirm the NIST report which says the trusses heated,
expanded then cooled and contracted as the fires moved on.
It was the contracting trusses which pulled the columns
inward causing the collapse. Once again, conspiracy
theorists debunk themselves.
Below is a photo gallery which shows the
progression of fire, bowing of perimeter columns and sagging trusses. It
also shows why there was little fire on the 78th floor.
