•     World Trade Center 7 ::: 24 Collapse Videos     •

In the available online 9/11 TV archive, the segment during which World Trade Center Building 7 "collapsed" is missing (alternate link?). During this particular clip's first airing at 5:41 on 9/11, Bill Blakemore narrated as the reporter on scene. The first moments of the "collapse" were not captured, apparently (NIST comments, next paragraph). See the shot at the TV archive with hours of other 9/11 footage. Also, see it in the AP archive (as found on aparchive.com, where registering is required) and on FOX News. The clip is first in Xenomorph911WTC's "WTC Building 7 'Collapse' video compilation" version 4.

In the NIST WTC7 Report, AP owns the copyright according to Figure 5-190 (which also says the earliest frame in the video was mid-collapse). The camera, according to the NIST chart, was at "[s]treet level, near the corner of Church and Duane Streets."

Raw NIST Cumulus files: CBS-Net Dub5 11

UPDATE March 2012: Found on the new TV archive site Sept. 17 at 3:33 am. Appears twice on YouTube thanks to Xenomorph911WTC. Link 1 above was shown during early morning September 12th. Exact time unknown. Original video source here.... Link 2 above points to 3:43 in a compilation video. Special thanks to "911newsfootage" for sharing his invaluable archive.

No NIST Cumulus file found, but ABC shots of WTC 7 burning include ABC Dub6 01 through 09, when the "collapse" happens off camera.

CBS News anchor Dan Rather says, "It's reminiscient of those pictures we've all seen too much of on television before when a building is deliberately destroyed by well placed dynamite to knock it down." (Download 1.3 MB mpeg, thanks to www.wtc7.net). Shot from the GM Building, looking beyond the Empire State Building (at right). This footage was not included in the NIST chart listing "their 9 videos" used for detailed analysis (out of 16 available videos in their database). As a matter of fact, the "Camera 2" video was attributed to CBS incorrectly. See NBC Leaning Cam.

For best possible quality download the rare mpeg2 (watch in HD playlist above) gleaned from the Tennessee archive (Vanderbilt Univ., where hour-length recordings are 200 US dollars to rent), which explains the timestamp reading 4:23 PM instead of 5:23. The online TV archive shows that CBS9 Washington switched from the studio to this camera moments after the event... then played the more distant CNN view. Perhaps this was because of the visible Pyroclastic Like Dust Ejecta Before Roofline Descent.

A raw NIST Cumulus file is missing, but the video does appear in release 28 as a LOW 352x240 resolution, SHORT 0:08 length. See 42A0314 - G28D19\fromCD_WTCI-138-I\WTC_7.avi

The clip begins after the onset of "collapse." Specifically, the NIST Report says the "[e]arliest frame from the Camera 9 video . . . was shot 9.4 s [plus or minus] 0.2 s after the east penthouse began to sink into the building." See a chart listing "the 9 videos" used for detailed analysis (out of 16 available videos in the database). This chart places the camera at "[s]treet level, near the corner of Greenwich and Jay Streets." TheMKMonarch attributes the video to Mike Hernandez of CBS.

See it at the TV archive first at 5:24 . Also, see it in Xenomorph911WTC's WTC Building 7 'Collapse' video compilation" version 4.

Raw NIST Cumulus file: CBS-Net Dub6 23 (Download at the NIST website at wtcdata.nist.gov [where you must first click Continue to agree to the terms, in order to be able to follow this link].)

[Not] seen LIVE on CBS2 NY (WCBS) (see MSNBC below for a LIVE shot). UPDATE: After watching again, I noticed it fast forwards... so that means the "LIVE" graphic is false.

The version seen in the Naudet-Hanlon documentary "9/11" (2002) had audio from a different source. NEW Oct. 2010: In the NIST Cumulus version, you can hear a rumble! For more on audio, see the "Not Peskin" clip and the Siegel footage.

In addition to CBS2 NY 9/12 at 5:41 PM, the clip aired (for example) on CBS9 Washington at 5:39 PM. The news anchor says, "I don't know whether it was, uh, accomplished by demolition experts or whether it just happened as a consequence of what occurred earlier today." Little did he know THAT would become one of the greatest controversies of the modern era. See a chart listing "the 9 videos" used for detailed analysis (out of 16 available videos in the NIST database). This chart places the camera at "[s]treet level, west side of West Street, near Harrison Street."

"Raw" NIST Cumulus files: CBS-Net Dub5 09 (download zoomed version) with [explosion?] audio.... Watch it burn in files CBS-Net Dub7 19 through 21 with no audio. CBS-Net Dub7 46 has nearly 5 minutes of WTC 7 burning with audio (I haven't listened to it all yet) then an extended copy of the "collapse" with audio is CBS-Net Dub7 47, which incidentally has the audio track at a much lower volume than the Dub5 09 clip... and pixelated artifacts. UPDATE: See release 25, 42A0116 - G25D26 for a high quality mpeg-2 of the CBS2 NY version aired on 9/11, although with washed out color compared to the "LIVE" version.

See it at the TV archive first at 5:24 with a banner on screen, and again at 5:25 more clearly. Also, see it replay on CBS9 Washington 2 minutes afterward as the news anchor wonders if the event was "engineered for safety reasons." Also, FOX5 Washington airs it first at 5:27 PM. Being the most distant view, it was preferred by "the networks."

Also, this clip plays as leaseholder Larry Silverstein tells his famous tale in "America Rebuilds" (PBS, 2002). Why did he say "pull it," anyway?

Raw NIST Cumulus file: CNN Dub2 04 (also see CNN Breaking News 400 to 530pm\CNN 4-to-530 74)

UPDATE March 2012: Thanks for noticing and reuploading, IranContraScumDid911. Name now changed from "Unknown - 'FDNY.'" Previously only found on Google video as a short clip uploaded in 2008 with the description and title, "WTC 7 collapse - FDNY," probably because of the FDNY ambulance in the foreground. See it in this clip likely from that source.

Found at www.klauslaubmayer.com/ground_zero_new_york_video.html Aug. 7, 2010 by YouTube user and archivist 911allcausticcamera (see link 1 above).

Uploaded to the net by Klaus May 25, 2009 with filename Marker5'911.mov as could be seen in his open video directory (now a dead link). This professional photographer was apparently conscripted by MSNBC's Ashleigh Banfield, who probably couldn't get past security at Ground Zero with her camera operator. So, we have new footage of Ground Zero - probably on the night of 9/11 - thanks to Klaus. "Ten minutes after the first plane hit, I stepped out of my studio, just blocks away, to gather video and photographs."

For some reason during the WTC 7 video as the building starts to come down, somebody asks, "You got it, Steve?" and the videographer - or someone nearby - says, "I got it."

One of two LIVE TV shots of WTC 7 going down - see CBS West St. above. It's included here although the MSNBC shot only shows the smoke developing (early) and coming toward the camera -- not the building falling. To get an idea of when the building descent begins in the video, see a synched video collage using the NBC News camera that was on the same street.

The audio is one of few authentic tracks available. Despite the fact that TV correspondent microphones are designed for low sensitivity to background noise, one audio filtering study suggests explosions were picked up by Ashleigh Banfield's mic. Notice, also, that the people all turn their heads towards Ground Zero before sound of the ensuing collapse had time to reach them (exact camera location: 40.717901, -74.007335 —see map below— which was 0.609 km [0.379 mi] from the base of WTC7). Since the temperature was about 80 degrees F, the speed of sound was 347.25 meters per second (1,139.3 feet/sec), making the time for sound to travel from WTC7 to the camera exactly 1.75 seconds. Banfield's reaction was 2.0 seconds after the first hint of east penthouse movement. An alternative explanation for Banfield's quick reaction, of course, is that people in the surrounding crowd saw the penthouse begin to drop and said something, to which Banfield reacted. Remember, though, that the studio interrupted and cut away from an interview to go to Banfield because she thought she heard an explosion, likely within a minute of the "collapse." Regarding audio, see also "Not Peskin," R. Siegel, & CBS West St. -- all of which (arguably) feature explosion sounds.

Find the clip in the video archive at msn.com or in the rare Boston VHS tape from MSTS1 (link 2 above, where at 6:05 we can see the building minutes before its destruction). Link 3 is the only available TV airing of any WTC7 collapse video at all on NBC's 9/11 broadcast after the event until hours later, from a replay at 8:26 PM in the archive. Note that MSNBC is not at the archive.org site until Sept. 14.

"Raw" NIST Cumulus file: Freelance of WTC7 collapse\Freelance WTC7 1 :: UPDATE: Release 25, folder 42A0126 - G25D38 has an mpeg-2 version in extended length. Watch at YouTube link 1 above.

NIST incorrectly attributed this video to CBS News. Interestingly, this same camera was incorrectly described as a helicopter camera (see V8) in the NIST airplane impact study... probably because it was zoomed in to show only the towers at the time of impact (9:03 AM). The camera was, in fact, on top of the 70-storey GE Building at 30 Rockefeller Center, which became an observation deck/tourist attraction - "Top of the Rock" - in 2005. The building is home to most of NBC's New York studios.

NBC had this camera trained on Ground Zero at varying levels of zoom in the hour(s) previous to Building 7's "collapse." It was leaning all day. Despite the fact that NBC had captured two videos of the WTC 7 "collapse" (not counting MSNBC), the network did not show the footage for hours. The clip is usually seen as broadcast on BBC (See its first airing at 5:38 PM on 9/11, for example). I just scanned the NBC4 Washington TV archive up through 8:26 PM before finding any WTC 7 footage— MSNBC LIVE (see above). Next, I found a short airing of the CBS GM Building Cam footage at 9:16 PM. Then finally "PAX-TV NBC" aired once at 11:57 PM. I gave up trying to find this particular (leaning) footage in the available NBC archive. I did see Palestinians "celebrating" twice and Bin Laden a few times....

One fascinating quality of this footage (and the CBS Building Cam) is the changing reflection in the windows that reveals Penthouse Free Fall within the building (or at least a speed too close to free fall acceleration).

Raw NIST Cumulus files: CBS-Net Dub5 24 and CBS-Net Dub6 48 (which explains why NIST attributed the video to CBS. Another example of this happening is in WTC 1 demolition file CBS-Net Dub7 22, which is an NBC crew with Pat Dawson, who can be heard right beside the camera after the shot.) UPDATE: High quality, extended length mpeg-2 found in release 25, folder 42A0122 - G25D33 at 24:49.

UPDATE August 2011: This and other NBC WTC 7 video is available at the NIST website (For the link to work you must first click "continue" after reading the Notice at wtcdata.nist.gov.). UPDATE Sept. 2010: Released with audio (but still missing the east penthouse collapse) thanks to the International Center for 9/11 Studies successful FOIA request to NIST.

Dan Abrams reports at about 4:55 PM, and again in the same area minutes after the demolition. This was likely his crew. Strangely, however, the video wasn't aired on NBC on 9/11! (Same with the NBC Leaning Cam— as far as I know. And PAX-TV NBC aired once, 3 minutes to midnight!) The clip has appeared in a History documentary ("9/11 Conspiracies: Fact or Fiction," 2007 - link 2 above), one repeat somewhat cropped. The documentary-hit piece was produced in part by NBC News. The shot is credited to NBC News in HBO's 2002 "In Memoriam: New York City 9/11/01," as well as in the NIST Report finally released in late 2008 (see images linked here...). The NIST Report tells us the "earliest frame from the Camera 4 video . . . was shot 3.7 s [plus or minus] 0.2 s after the east penthouse began to sink into the building." See a chart listing "the 9 videos" used for detailed analysis (out of 16 available videos in the database). This chart places the camera at "[s]treet level, near the corner of West Broadway and Leonard Street." This is not to be confused with the PAX-TV NBC footage. MSNBC also shot from nearby.

"Raw" NIST Cumulus files: Freelance of WTC7 collapse\Freelance WTC7 7 and NBC1 Restricted clip_2 and NBC2 Restricted tape clip_6 (See also release 28, 42A0293 - G27D23 for an mpeg-2 version of the "restricted" WTC 7 VHS tape.)

Found in the International Center for 9/11 Studies NIST FOIA, 911datasets.org release 10, WTCI-329-I-#23.wmv, in a folder titled "CNN" where files from NY1, WNYW, WPIX and more are also included. Although there are 36 releases, number 10 was one of the more recent since the Cumulus files in release 14 were the debut in Sept. 2010. Other new WTC 7 videos in the ~4 TB NIST FOIA include WCBS Dub2 03 and Bryan Stuart, both release 14.

UPDATE Dec. 2011: More uncertainty about the source comes from FEMA in their Building Performance Study. Roberto Rabanne is credited in two video stills and in two WTC 7 collapse photos shot from street level (see 2nd photo). More credit was given to Roberto Rabanne by NIST NCSTAR 1-9 Vol. 1, pp. 238, 240, and 242 -- see images. (Thanks TheMKMonarch at YouTube for pointing out this likelihood!) Also notice in these images the video camera was running seconds before the collapse YET THE INITIATION (and accompanying audio) IS MISSING.

Since Peskin was named in the NIST Report (NIST NCSTAR 1-9 Vol. 1 p. 233), the clip was thought by some to have been shot by him, until his footage missing the event became available September 2010 thanks to the NIST FOIA release. It turns out the videographer just happens to be shooting from the same building, only a floor or two higher than Peskin (who either missed the building's descent or had his film edited). However, the Peskin footage is more valuable. It is made up of excerpts from 9:00 AM until at least after 5:22 PM. Explosions are heard and described-- but not the same thunderous explosion heard around 11:11 AM by BNN's Lucia Davis, a couple firefighters, and two guys on a phone a couple blocks from WTC 7....

There is a version with audio (link 1 above, also here in this WTC7 compilation... Source was terrorize.dk before much of its content became unavailable). UPDATE: The footage is part of the Int'l Center for 9/11 Studies NIST FOIA, 911datasets.org release 28, folder 42A0309 - G28D14, as "WTC7COLLAPSE.MPG" -- a 6:22 length version in 720x480 resolution, with no audio and the initiation missing. Xeno has uploaded this stabilized and added audio from the older version. The same file appears again in release 28 as 42A0314 - G28D19\fromCD_WTCI-138-I\WTC7-Feb 9-10 Pres-Gilsanz\WTC7COLLAPSE.MPG -- and as 42A0313 - G28D18\fromCD_WTCI-137-I\...

The footage can be found in the 9/13/01 TV archive on FOX at 7:44 PM. Like many of the WTC Building 7 "collapse" videos, it seems to be edited during initiation. It could be argued this is more likely due to the fact that people were waiting for more than an hour since the first TV announcements that the collapse was expected by authorities (see compilation at top of page). The initiation might have been missed simply because cameras needed to save tape (yes, tape). The cameras probably began rolling as the sound of the falling east penthouse -- and the crowd's reactions -- reached beyond the perimeter of the area blocked by NYPD. (See above, "Not Richard Peskin 1" for a comment on that.)

A longer, but still incomplete version also without audio (link 1 above) is CBC's 2009 doc "9-11 The Unofficial Story." The clip replays several times in a short Aug. 2008 FOX5 NY piece announcing the NIST WTC 7 Report release (yes, in 2008) press conference with the headline, "NO CONSPIRACY."

Thanks, Nate/Xenomorph911WTC for pointing out the fact that this video was different than the other very similar view above!

Shot from Frank Sinatra Park in Hoboken, New Jersey (says the reporter). Aired 9/11 at 5:25 PM, according to the flash video found on the NY1 website. A similar view can be seen in the Rick Siegel footage used in "911 Eyewitness Hoboken" (below).

This rare clip was found online at NY1.com in a summary of the day's events. Low resolution versions were found online in a NY1 report dated January 20th, 2002: "Hazardous Chemicals Were Stored In 7 World Trade" -- and in a NY1 report dated January 23rd, 2002: "Bloomberg Says City Will Build New Emergency Bunker."

It may have been aired in the 10th anniversary special "A Day In Time," but the YouTube series ends before that time of day....

UPDATE Sept. 2010: Released with audio (but still missing the east penthouse collapse) thanks to the International Center for 9/11 Studies successful FOIA request to NIST. This rare clip was aired on PAX (unknown NBC affiliate) at an unknown time (see update below). You may recognize Amy Goodman from "Democracy Now!" in the crowd. Additionally, the clip appeared in the 2007 History documentary-hit piece "9/11 Conspiracies: Fact or Fiction" - at vrt 00:03:06. It so happens that the doc. was produced in part by NBC News. If this camera belonged to NBC News, the footage aired on the network a suspicious few times (like the other WTC 7 "collapse" videos shot by NBC).

UPDATE: Footage found in the TV archive 9/11 at 11:57 PM. Download a 37.5 MB mpeg1 with additional footage of the towers coming down. Thanks to whoever put together the 911 News Clips collection at archive.org.

"Raw" NIST Cumulus files: NBC1 Restricted clip_6 and WNBC Dub4A 4

Siegel's famous Hoboken, New Jersey footage ran late into the day. However, by 5:20 PM the camera was in time-lapse mode to conserve tape. This means only 2 seconds of video are available during the building's descent, followed by a six second pause. Uniquely, however, the [2 seconds of] time 9.5 seconds before "collapse" initiation is captured— along with an audible explosion (accounting for 9.2 seconds time delay [which incidentally is 0.57 seconds too fast. See calculations below.)! It seems two more explosions can be heard, too. Immediately after the event, Siegel began recording in normal mode... which is fascinating because the radio - 1010 WINS - features a witness account describing the elusive audio from nearby.

[T]he ah . . . bottom floors of the building were on fire and, uh, you know we heard this sound that sounded like a clap of thunder . . . turned around we were shocked to see that the building was ah, well it looked like there was a shockwave ripping through the building and a the windows all busted out, you know it was horrifying. Then ah, you know, about a second later the bottom floor caved out and ah the building followed after that and um we saw the building crash all the way to the ground....

See a study of the controversial audio during each of the Twin Towers' destruction (and seconds prior). Explosion sounds were actually recorded. Or were they?

Compare this view with that of NY1, who was just south of Siegel. Siegel's position was exactly 2.08 miles from the SW corner of WTC7, at 40d 44m 29.90s N 74d 01m 30.90s W (40.741650N -74.025250W. Thanks YougeneDebs). This means the 9.2 second sound delay should actually be 9.77 (when using his air temperature of 65 F (Siegel's or Dave Shaw's - the latter of whom created the 911 Eyewitness Hoboken video from Siegel's footage [source]). See the relevant maps here, which focus on the towers for the most part— and together show Siegel's crude map to be the cause for the slight miscalculation.)

This footage was used by NIST as Camera 5, which was "near the corner of Franklin and Hudson Streets." Initiation was missed, or is missing. See it, or download, on the NIST website (You must first click "continue" after reading the Notice).

New to the research community thanks to the International Center for 9/11 Studies FOIA request to NIST, as clip 1 in the Bryan Stuart folder (911datasets.org release 14). More than 4TB of data has been released. Another update: Release 21 has the same footage on 2 DVD files (VOB/mpeg-2) in the folder 42A0072 - G19 D3of3. In release 14 there is 7:04 total length. In release 21, there is 16:05... with some repeated footage in both. Occasionally the video is replaced by still images for periods of 4 seconds or so.

Xenomorph911WTC uploaded this with the title "9/11: Anonymous new release of 3 WTC collapse videos," on December 06, 2008... a month and a week after the videos (not including the South Tower clip) appeared on veoh.com. From Xeno's more info (and similarly at 911blogger.com), we read:

An anonymous source has allowed the release of high quality DVD footage of all 3 WTC collapses. The North & South Tower & building 7. The photographer wishes to remain anonymous and audio has not been given permission for public release, but you can download the files here without sound, in high quality DVD format cut from the source video at the following links. [Links deleted. Note megaupload.com has been killed, so the clips aren't available.]

[emphasis added] Thanks, Xeno.

Gustavo is named as the videographer in HBO's 2002 "In Memoriam: New York City 9/11/01" (link 2 above), which only shows a partial version of the footage. The longest available version is found at the AP archive (see YT link 3 above, or register at aparchive.com and search there for 314953). It's unclear if the shot is amateur or professional. In the NIST WTC7 Report, WPIX owns the copyright according to Figure 5-191. The clip appeared on BBC TV at 6:33 PM and 8:50 PM on 9/11 (for example). The camera was on Greenwich Street.

Raw NIST Cumulus file: WPIX Dub5 30

UPDATE Feb. 2012: This was in fact aired on 9/11 by CBS2 NY, as seen in this rare excerpt. Vince D. can be seen in the woman's sunglasses (Barbara Crowley). Available in high quality now, thanks to Justin Keogh, James Gourley, and the International Center for 9/11 Studies. They are uploading to YouTube channel IC911Studies. The torrents can be found at their site 911datasets.org... and is one of many high quality video releases, data totaling more than 4 TB.

This footage is unique for its pre-demolition fireball (time unknown) shooting up from lower floors. For an investigation of this phenomenon, please watch Achimspok's "The NIST predecisional WTC7 Report part 3 of 5."

In the NIST Report the video source is "Unknown." Ownership/copyright is credited to FOX News Network, L.L.C. - although the clip was aired on CBS at 7:35 PM on 9/11, for example... and on ABC at an unspecified time. One of the longest versions of this video comes from aparchive.com (YT link above or register at aparchive.com and search for 314927).

Raw NIST Cumulus files: CBS-Net Dub5 14 (fireball in 15) and CBS-Net Dub6 45 (fireball in 44). UPDATE: High quality, extended length mpeg-2 found in release 25, folder 42A0122 - G25D33

UPDATE Oct. 2011: Renamed after finding new NBC Channel 4 footage, seen at link 1 above. The NBC crew shot from Greenwich Street, standing very close to a CBS camera and ABC Rare, above. The video is found in a 2007 program called "9/11 Conspiracies: Fact or Fiction," which was produced in part by NBC News for the A&E TV Networks and the History Channel. The clip appeared in the documentary-hit piece at vrt 01:08:30. One additional source is the 2008 BBC hit piece "9/11: The Conspiracy Files - The Third Tower" (at 0:22)... which features many short clips from this list.

It is especially interesting that the national network news avoided airing any of its WTC 7 "collapse" footage the evening of 9/11 until hours later (I found two instances in my searching the complete NBC 9/11 TV archive... the first aired at 8:26 PM). See also MSNBC LIVE, NBC Leaning Cam and NBC News.

NIST Cumulus file is simply from an MSNBC show with a 3-second clip: WTC 7 part2 clip04