Global Fastener News

U.S. Customs Fastener Specialist Escaped World Trade Center

John Wolz

On September 11, 2001, the fastener import specialist for the U.S. Customs Service was in her office in 6 World Trade Center. Kathy Campanelli heard a low flying plane overhead and knew there was trouble.
The plane crashed into the One World Trade Center and the explosion sent debris blowing past Campanelli�s fourth floor window.
“I knew there was trouble. We started yelling, �Get Out� and we all ran out of the building.”
Campanelli waited with others by the water for a signal to go back into the eight-story building neighboring the Twin Towers.
Then the second plane struck. Those waiting as well as the world watching on television knew then the first plane was not an accident.
“We all scattered,” Campanelli recalled.
Campanelli was able to catch a subway to Brooklyn before the trains were shutdown.
The 6 World Trade Center building later collapsed (Pictures are posted on the web: customs.treas.gov. Click on Photo Gallery).
Customs lost much of its computers. Though Campanelli said she regularly backed up work, the server was in the building and her files are gone..
“We are back at an office with desks and interim phones. We are slowly getting supplies.”
Campenelli is now located at One Penn Plaza, Tenth Floor, New York, NY 10119. Tel: 646 733-3021.
(For stories on two fastener firms near the World Trade Center � NABS and Pinnacle Capital � see the September 26, 2001 issue of FastenerNews.com). �2001 FastenerNews.com