Why did people jump from the world trade towers?

MmmmmCheese

Sorry if this is a little insensitive, but its something I've always wondered.
Why did people jump out the windows of the world trade centres after they had been hit?

They surely knew they couldnt survive such a drop.
Was it because they didn't want to be burned to death? Was it the panic and they just couldn't handle it?

It must take some courage to actually jump and face your death like that. I guess we could never know what was going through the minds of those people at the time. Its just something I've always wondered about.....

metaoblivia

I think it's fair to say that the majority - if not all of them - knew they wouldn't survive the jump. They probably didn't want to burn or suffocate to death and figured that jumping would be a quicker, less painful way to go.

caseyann

Picture standing in a volcano, There is the answer

Blind panic and shock also.

admiralofthefleet

for the lulz

CDfm

As an alternative to getting burnt to death or suffocating its probably what I would have done. I am a bit of a chicken with extreme pain.

Hazys

Instant splat >>>>> Burned alive for however long it takes

PhysiologyRocks

CDfm wrote: »

As an alternative to getting burnt to death or suffocating its probably what I would have done. I am a bit of a chicken.

Nothing chicken about that.

dlofnep

Deep toxic black smoke, unbearable heat, flames, scared shítless and full of adrenaline - probably just said "Feck it" - dived out, and screamed their lungs out until it was lights out.

I would have probably done the same.

The Big Red Button

CDfm wrote: »

As an alternative to getting burnt to death or suffocating its probably what I would have done. I am a bit of a chicken with extreme pain.

I'd have probably been too chicken to do it, no matter how certain I was that I'd die either way. I'm frickin terrified of heights!

brummytom

Yeah I always thought it was so they wouldn't have to suffer being burned.
Though getting crushed was probably quicker (I realise this sounds insensitive, it's not meant to, it's just an observation)

If it was me, I don't know what I'd do. I don't think I'd have the guts to jump. But being burned... horrible

abouttobebanned

Worst situation imaginable.

donmeister

Its Friday fuckin evening, can someone make a fun thread in AH rather than 9/11/recession/scumbags

The Big Red Button

brummytom wrote: »

Yeah I always thought it was so they wouldn't have to suffer being burned.
Though getting crushed was probably quicker (I realise this sounds insensitive, it's not meant to, it's just an observation)

If it was me, I don't know what I'd do. I don't think I'd have the guts to jump. But being burned... horrible

You'd probably suffocate before being burned.

What a f*cked up situation for anyone to be in. It's hard for any of us to say for certain what we'd have done!

shampoosuicide

it's pretty obvious.

fire hurts

CDfm

chatterpillar wrote: »

It's hard for any of us to say for certain what we'd have done!

Drinks cabinet;)

Klingon Hamlet

Some didn't die straight away. I remember seeing a man jump and bounce of the walls as he fell, tore apart slowly, it still haunts me. Never was shown again, online or on TV. But I'll never forget.

God love all those poor people. To face such a hellish choice: burn to death, or fall to your death. Jesus.

Tails142

Maybe they had read Angels and Demons, stapled a few pages together and thought they'd be ok.

Might've worked if the US used A4 size instead of Letter....

K-Ren

A Bon Jovi convention was on in the building at the time of the attacks.

af_thefragile

They were hoping for Superman/Spiderman/Neo to come and save them!

Latchy

The heat, smoke and pure fear , reasons people have mentioned in the thread but also I imagine, quite a few would have being dead with heart attack / shock before they hit the ground

magicianz

Whats up with the serious answers on AH O.o

People are getting so lazy now that they cant be bothered using the lift.....'hey look an open window!'

I think we should make parachutes mandatory in all high rise building :pac:

Biggins

Falling from such a height by the way, there is a chance you will be dead before you even hit the ground.
Its something to do with the speed your falling at, unable to catch your breath or the surrounding air, etc.
Most of us have at some stage stuck our heads out a moving car window. remember how hard it is to breath when doing that at high speed?

I hope I never have to make that ultimate decision for myself.
Humans by their nature are also fighters. Even in that they fight for there might be a glimmer of hope of rescue or change in survival chances.
When that hope is gone, all that is left is the decision about how you wish to go!

...and sadly, on that day, that is what many faced.
May they rest in peace.

stovelid

I blame R Kelly.

mrgaa1

come on you mean you don't know - there were actually very few who jumped - they were the ones who set off the explosions or made sure the explosions were ready to go once the go ahead was given to drop both buildings. go to www.jimcorr.com and look at the 9/11 video - its 1.5hrs long but makes a lot of sense

mink_man

for the craic!

Hazys

Biggins wrote: »

Falling from such a height by the way, there is a chance you will be dead before you even hit the ground.
Its something to do with the speed your falling at, unable to catch your breath or the surrounding air, etc.
Most of us have at some stage stuck our heads out a moving car window. remember how hard it is to breath when doing that at high speed?

I hope I never have to make that ultimate decision for myself.
Humans by their nature are also fighters. Even in that they fight for there might be a glimmer of hope of rescue or change in survival chances.
When that hope is gone, all that is left is the decision about how you wish to go!

...and sadly, on that day, that is what many faced.
May they rest in peace.

I doubt you'd die from not being able to breath bcos when i did a skydive we were free falling for 60 secs, 14000 feet in the air where there is less dense air. I presume you can free fall for much longer without any problems. Id be suprised if the fall from the top of the WTC to the bottom is longer than 60 secs.

But still not a situation id like to be in.

NickNolte

Jesus. Can you imagine what was going through those poor peoples' minds? I know this is After Hours and all but... joking aside... what a s**ty, s**ty way to go.

af_thefragile

Guess atleast they get to experience free fall before they die.
Something that's on many people "100 things to do before you die" list...

stovelid

It's probably natural to just blindly escape smoke or flames. I doubt people made a rational decision to just jump.

My name is URL

Gravity has alot to answer for

Biggins

Hazys wrote: »

I doubt you'd die from not being able to breath bcos when i did a skydive we were free falling for 60 secs, 14000 feet in the air where there is less dense air. I presume you can free fall for much longer without any problems. Id be suprised if the fall from the top of the WTC to the bottom is longer than 60 secs.

But still not a situation id like to be in.

Also possibly true.
I remember some documentary on a few years back and some medical examiners stating that in some cases, the breathing issue above could have also been the situation in the case of their passing before they even came in contact with the ground.

And I agree too, definitely not a situation I'd like to be in.
So far I have been lucky and blessed.

mikom

MmmmmCheese wrote: »

Why did people jump from the world trade towers?

To get to the other side.

zack01

We had a friend who worked for cantor fitzgerald in the north tower, she along with all their staff died that day, think the figure was 654, apparently most of them died instantly when the plane hit.
None of her remains were ever found.
It must have been hell on earth to make people jump that day.
May they rest in peace:(

partyatmygaff

Panic and fear.

They might of thought they might be able to somehow climb down and fell as some people did. Some people would of jumped out to avoid being burned alive and some people were just so scared they just ran and jumped. Strange to think that not one of those who perished knew what the hell was happening, all they know is a plane hit their building and they died.

Strange and terrible way to die.

BornToKill

My name is URL wrote: »

Gravity has alot to answer for

It's time for the long anticipated 'War on Gravity'.

Kersh

Very moving documentary here on the jumpers, and 1 man's quest to name one of them.

Well worth watching,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXnA9FjvLSU&feature=related

Poor Uncle Tom

The people who jumped were the real extreme sports junkies, can you imagine.......its your last day on the planet, you know your time is near, you look to your buddy........Dude, a window..

Notorious

mrgaa1 wrote: »

come on you mean you don't know - there were actually very few who jumped - they were the ones who set off the explosions or made sure the explosions were ready to go once the go ahead was given to drop both buildings. go to www.jimcorr.com and look at the 9/11 video - its 1.5hrs long but makes a lot of sense

I hope you're ripping the piss...

shampoosuicide

'Strange to think that not one of those who perished knew what the hell was happening, all they know is a plane hit their building and they died.'

you know, i'm not being sarcastic - i never even considered that before...how ****ed up is that...

the_syco

dlofnep wrote: »

Deep toxic black smoke, unbearable heat, flames, scared shítless and full of adrenaline

Thought comes into their head: I see light! A way out, a way out, a waaaaaaayyyyyyy ooooouuuuutttt.

Fire plus lack of oxygen to the head can make people do funny things.

That, and some of them may have always wanted to skydive.

IMO, , if you saw them continuing to run, they probably think that they are still running on ground. If you saw people with their arms out-stretched, they're skydiving.

phantom_lord

mrgaa1 wrote: »

come on you mean you don't know - there were actually very few who jumped - they were the ones who set off the explosions or made sure the explosions were ready to go once the go ahead was given to drop both buildings. go to www.jimcorr.com and look at the 9/11 video - its 1.5hrs long but makes a lot of sense

lol

CianRyan

They forgot their bungee cords that day?

Latchy

shampoosuicide wrote: »

'Strange to think that not one of those who perished knew what the hell was happening, all they know is a plane hit their building and they died.'

you know, i'm not being sarcastic - i never even considered that before...how ****ed up is that...

Yet the very thought that would have being going through their heads besides getting out of the buildings , would have being '' what the F has happened ? what's going on ? Many will have being to confused and in shock to even have time to think about anything but their familys ...god love them all

RIP

Amalgam

I always wondered why any amount, even a fraction of people weren't helped off by helicopters.

I visited the tower with the Restaurant and viewing platform.. and you could get access to the roof.

Ironically, we had to make our way to the lifts around a huge clump of temporary air conditioning equipment, due to the effects of the car park bombing.

AckwelFoley

invisible bungee

blipp

I read an excellent book about it a few years ago - excellent in terms of being well-written and researched not in terms of entertainment value.

I remember that the book either suggested or knew for a fact (useless aren't I - but it was a few years ago) that the jumping wasn't jumping at all. People were clambering for the windows for air and people were being pushed out by the crowds. Which is worse than jumping really. Either way, those pictures will stay with me for many years yet. RIP to them all.

phantom_lord

Amalgam wrote: »

I always wondered why any amount, even a fraction of people weren't helped off by helicopters.

I visited the tower with the Restaurant and viewing platform.. and you could get access to the roof.

Ironically, we had to make our way to the lifts around a huge clump of temporary air conditioning equipment, due to the effects of the car park bombing.

can't imagine it'd be two safe to fly near never mind land on two towering infernos.

shampoosuicide

phantom_lord wrote: »

can't imagine it'd be two safe to fly near never mind land on two towering infernos.

no safer than sending firemen up staircases to certain death?

Pretty_Pistol

Amalgam wrote: »

I always wondered why any amount, even a fraction of people weren't helped off by helicopters.

I visited the tower with the Restaurant and viewing platform.. and you could get access to the roof.

Ironically, we had to make our way to the lifts around a huge clump of temporary air conditioning equipment, due to the effects of the car park bombing.

Read somewhere there was too much smoke to get helicopters to land. And imagine all the people trying to even scramble to get onto one if there was one!

What a horrible way to die.

ibarelycare

It's all about control. Choosing to die was the last piece of control these people had in their lives. Take your death into your own hands or choose to die a horrific death at the hands of others.

Because they were playing Westside over the intercom.