Smoke Still Rising From Trade Center Area

By Staff Writer

September 14, 2001 at 08:00 PM

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NU Online News Service, Sept. 14, 10:25 a.m. – Smoke and dust were still billowing from the remains of the Manhattan World Trade complex earlier today, even though rain was falling.

Rescue workers are still trying to find survivors, but experts believe the rain may be flooding the rubble and interfering by making the rubble heavier.

But other reports said the rain may ease clean up efforts by rinsing the ashes off.

Meanwhile, a fighter jet and military helicopters patrolled over head as airports returned to limited service.

The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the complex and subsequent explosions and fires originally knocked down the famous, 110-story, World Trade Center twin towers in a little less than two hours.

Many other buildings at that complex, the nearby World Financial Center, and neighboring buildings have collapsed or are severely damaged.

Some life insurers, health insurers and asset managers have been facing severe concerns about the safety of their employees because they had offices in the trade center towers, but many more are facing disruptions in operations because they had offices in the buildings that are now damaged, or because they have offices in other buildings in southern Manhattan.

New York is trying to help many businesses in southern Manhattan open up today, but traffic is severely snarled as a result of security-related detours and security checks.

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