According to news reports from Reuters and other news sources, three hijacked commercial planes slammed into the Pentagon and New York’s landmark World Trade Center yesterday, demolishing the two 110-story towers that symbolize U.S. financial might. A fourth hijacked plane crashed in a wooded area near Pittsburgh.

Two of the planes flew out of Boston and one each from Newark and Dulles outside of Washington, D.C., and brought normal life across the United States to a standstill, turning major cities into eerie ghost towns. A total of 266 people were on board yesterday’s four hijacked planes. But it could be days or weeks before the total death toll becomes clear.

All financial markets were closed, millions of workers were sent home early, all flights around the nation were canceled and all airports shut in an unprecedented move. The twin towers, located near the tip of Manhattan, imploded one at a time, sending a massive plume of dust and smoke over the city. No death toll was immediately available, but officials feared the number could climb into the thousands, as 40,000 people alone worked in the Trade Center.

The first plane slammed into one of the Twin Towers shortly before 9 a.m. Eastern Time; a second plane followed 15 minutes later on the south tower. Minutes later, a report of a third kamikaze attack on the Pentagon, home of the Defense Department in North Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington took place. That building, too, burst into flames.

Despite the mayhem in the financial district, Ken Egbert put himself to work to deal with what had occurred 53 blocks south of his business, D.N.E. Security Communications. From his perspective, he said he had heard a plane as he left for work, but thought it was a military aircraft of some sort. Once at the office, he received a page by a business colleague and was told of what taken place when he called back.

“It’s terribly quiet right now,” Egbert said a couple of hours after the incident. “Where my office is at, a car usually passes by every minute. Right now, a car passes by about every 10 minutes.” He added that he heard some activity on the street, but he mostly heard sirens heading toward the Trade Center. In terms of the emotions flowing throughout the city, he simply stated, “The feelings are much too raw to be analyzed right now.”

**DEALERS, MANUFACTURERS: Security Sales would like to know how the events on Sept. 11 have affected your business. Please tell us your story and send any pictures that you have that pertain to this incident. E-mail us at [email protected].

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