On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Joseph Dittmar, a South Tower survivor, recounts his harrowing escape from the World Trade Center. His story encapsulates the chaos, loss, and resilience that characterized that tragic day in history.
At the time of the attacks, Joseph Dittmar was a commercial underwriting executive from Chicago, attending a morning meeting on the 105th floor of the South Tower. The series of events began when the first plane struck the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. Dittmar describes being in a windowless conference room along with 53 others when they experienced a flicker of the lights, the only indication that something catastrophic had occurred.
“We couldn’t see anything. We didn’t hear anything. We didn’t feel anything, just that flicker of lights,” Dittmar stated in an interview. It was a volunteer fire marshal who entered their room and insisted on evacuating everyone, stating, “I am a volunteer fire marshal... I can’t leave until all of you leave, and I want to leave.” Dittmar ultimately became the last person to exit the room.
Initially, many in the conference room believed they were safe. Dittmar recalled how all 54 of them reassured each other, thinking, "‘We’re fine, it’s New York. Stuff happens, don’t worry about it. Let us have our meeting.’” However, as they were directed to descend the 105 flights of stairs, cell phone service was lost, as the main tower for southern Manhattan was atop the North Tower, which was already on fire.
As they moved down, Dittmar realized that they were unaware of the true scale of the tragedy unfolding around them. “All of you knew way more of what was going on than any of us that were right there. We didn’t have a clue,” he later noted. Upon reaching the 90th floor, Dittmar and his companions exited the stairwell briefly, allowing him to see the North Tower for the first time. He described the scene: “Gaping black holes... flames redder than any red I had ever seen... pieces of the fuselage lodged inside the building.”
Returning to the stairwell, Dittmar recalled his sheer terror and primal desire to escape. “I was so afraid, so afraid... I wanted to get home,” he emphasized. The situation rapidly intensified when the second plane struck the South Tower at 9:03 a.m., while Dittmar was between floors 74 and 72. “Never felt anything like that in my life,” he described. The stairwell shook violently, and he experienced air filled with burning jet fuel.
Despite the chaos, evacuees continued to assist those who were injured or had mobility issues. Upon reaching the lobby, Dittmar witnessed devastation: twisted steel, crumbled concrete, and red markings on the ground. Security personnel directed them into the underground concourse due to falling debris and bodies outside. Dittmar recalled the emotional scene of firefighters, paramedics, and police officers providing aid: “I’ve never seen such an outpouring of caring and love.”
As they were eight blocks north, the South Tower collapsed, with Dittmar recalling the "unmistakable sound of twisting steel and crumbling concrete, like a freight train coming at us,” coupled with the haunting collective scream of thousands in the streets. Later, watching footage of the attacks, Dittmar was taken aback to realize he had narrowly escaped from a tower now engulfed in flames.
In a poignant reflection, Dittmar revealed the tragic fate of a colleague who perished only after making a brief stop at a restroom on the 90th floor. “That delay and his exiting cost him his life that day. The margins were razor-thin,” he stated, underscoring the fragility of survival amidst the disaster.
Dittmar expressed profound gratitude for the response and support from Canada, acknowledging the efforts of first responders who traveled to New York, as well as the community in Gander that sheltered thousands of stranded passengers. He also honored the Canadian soldiers who served in Afghanistan post-attacks, emphasizing their role in making the world a safer place.
