April 27, 2005—The $16-million investigation of the World Trade Center has sparked a barrage of criticism from many prominent building professionals, says an article in the Engineering News-Record. The report does not fault design of the twin 110-story towers, attacked by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001, but critics are outraged by the speculation, innuendo and incorrect findings released April 5 in New York City, the article says.
Among other things, critics are upset over what they claim is an unsubstantiated plug for fire protection engineers. In findings about occupant egress and stairwell capacity, NIST says the evacuation would not have been successful if the towers had been full. NIST also says stairwell enclosures with greater structural integrity and more remote from each other might have provided greater escape opportunities.
The statement is simply more speculation, says Richard C. Schulte, a fire code consultant based in Evanston, Ill. He says the report ignores the excellent fire safety record of high-rise buildings under normal conditions.
To see the article, visit the Engineering News-Record Web site.
