Windows On The World - September 11 Attacks

September 11 Attacks

Windows on the World was destroyed when the North Tower collapsed during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. At the time of the attack on the World Trade Center, the restaurant was hosting regular breakfast patrons and the Risk Waters Financial Technology Congress. Everyone present in the restaurant when American Airlines Flight 11 penetrated the North Tower perished, either because of the plane's initial impact, smoke inhalation during the ensuing conflagration, jumping or falling to their deaths, or the eventual collapse of the tower 102 minutes later, as all passages to below the impact zone were blocked. At the time of the attacks, present in the restaurant were 72 restaurant staff members (including acting manager Christine Olender, whose desperate calls to Port Authority police represented the restaurant's final communications), 16 Risk Waters employees, and 76 other guests/contractors. The last people to leave the restaurant before Flight 11 collided with the North Tower at 8:46 AM were Michael Nestor, Liz Thompson, Geoffrey Wharton, and Richard Tierney. They departed at 8:44 AM.