r/NoStupidQuestions • u/JMRooDukes808 • 6d ago

Do you think the 9/11 hijackers knew that the WTC buildings would collapse?

I really don’t know where else to ask this. There is obviously an overload of information about the event itself online, but one thing I can’t find out is if the hijackers intended to, or knew that the WTC buildings would collapse. Do you think they just planned on the impact and fires to be the extent of the damage caused? As far as I know, no steel structure buildings in history had collapsed from fire at that point, so it makes me wonder if they actually “succeeded” in their plan more than they intended.

Edit: no conspiracies please, that was not the point of my post

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u/MisteeLoo 5d ago edited 5d ago

Yeah, I watched live on tv, and my first thoughts were ‘The whole building? Holy shit, it’s GONE.’ Then a little grateful it hadn’t fallen over sideways. Once the first one went, I also recall thinking it was likely the second would go the same way. I don’t think anyone anticipated them pancaking, not even the monsters behind it.

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u/External-Piccolo-626 5d ago

The fact they didn’t topple sideways is amazing engineering, as awful as it was I can’t imagine them falling sideways, just thinking about how tall they were boggles the mind.

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u/BettyBarfBag 5d ago

I'm no engineer, but I recall hearing that the centralized elevator shafts were critical in the towers falling down, rather than falling over.

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u/MisteeLoo 5d ago

That makes sense. It would almost act like a fireman’s pole.