WTC 3 was also known as the World Trade Center Hotel, the New York Marriott Hotel, and the Vista Hotel. It was almost completely destroyed in the 9/11/01 attack. Like all of the World Trade Center buildings, it was a steel-framed building. It had 22 stories above grade and six stories below grade. It stood immediately south of the North Tower and west of the South Tower.

Rubble from the South Tower rains on WTC 3. See photographs.

Evacuation

Evacuation of WTC 3 began shortly after the 8:46 jetliner collision with the North Tower, which apparently ignited fires on the hotel's roof. Building occupants were first directed to the hotel lobby, then instructed to evacuate the building. According to FEMA's Report, all of the guests were evacuated but two members of the hotel management team who had re-entered the building to check for occupants were killed when the South Tower collapsed.

Damage

WTC 3 was first partially crushed by the steel skeleton fragments from the South Tower and then further crushed by those from the North Tower. In each case the rubble, falling from as much as 1300 feet, collapsed regions spanning several floors but was arrested by the building's steel structure. This behavior contrasts with the officially accepted story that progressive collapse entirely destroyed each Tower.

Fires

There is not much evidence of fires in WTC 3. That contrasts with WTC 4, 5, and 6, each of which had severe fires.

Destruction

The remainder of WTC 3 was demolished and removed as part of the clean-up of Ground Zero.

page last modified: 2009-09-11