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Re: WTC structural site



The following were posted to the sibling list Chemed-l. Can't vouch for
their accuracy.
*****
From rstrickert@SIGNATURESCIENCE.COM Fri Sep 14 11:24:00 2001
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 09:13:35 -0500
From: "Strickert, Rick" <rstrickert@SIGNATURESCIENCE.COM>
Subject: Asbestos might have saved WTC lives

According to a Foxnews story, the collapse of the two WTC towers might
have been prevented or delayed if asbestos fire-proofing of all the steel
girders had been done. Asbestos fire-proofing of the girders had been
done up to the 64th floor before switching to another flame retardant
(because of asbestos health concerns) in 1971. The late Herbert Levine,
inventor of the wet asbestos spray fire retardant, had warned that the
building might collapse if fire broke out above the 64th floor.

In case of a major fire, emergency plans anticipated possibly four hours
before a collapse. The planes hit into floors 96-103 of WTC-1 (which
collapsed in 1h 40m) and floors 87-93 of WTC-2 (which collapsed in 56m).

According to Richard Wilson, a risk expert and physics professor at
Harvard University, no adverse health effect has ever been attributed to
Levine's technique of spraying wet asbestos.

The Empire State building has its steel framework insulated in concrete.

The news story by Steven Milloy is at
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,34342,00.html

Rick Strickert
Austin, TX


From reierman@UWEC.EDU Fri Sep 14 23:52:25 2001
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 11:10:59 -0500
From: Robert Eierman <reierman@UWEC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Asbestos might have saved WTC lives

Rick and list,
It would be nice to see some information on the times and temperatures
that the asbestos and the newer fire-proofing can withstand. It's no
surprise that the asbestos inventor says that the new product is inferior,
he's biased. I'm not convinced that either of the materials could have
prevented heating and breakdown when the approximately 50,000 gallons of
jet fuel was ignited in the crash.

RJE

Dr. Bob Eierman reierman@uwec.edu
Department of Chemistry Phone: (715)836-4284 or 836-3417
UW-Eau Claire Fax: (715)836-4979
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Website: http://www.chem.uwec.edu/Eierman/index.html
****
John N. Cooper
Chemistry Department
Bucknell University
Lewisburg PA 17837
Vox 570 577 3673
Fax 570 577 1739