Graeme MacQueen — 156 eyewitnesses describing explosions at the Twin Towers (Toronto Report ch.8)

Observation

MacQueen compiled 156 accounts, mostly FDNY oral histories, in which speakers used explosion/bomb language about the towers; he documents both the original wording and some later retractions.

Interpretation

That these reports identify demolition charges is MacQueen's reading. Fire, pancaking, electrical, and BLEVE alternatives are acknowledged by some of the same witnesses. NIST's non-use of the set is a process observation.

Source text

Retrieved 2026-09-02. Quoted observations include Burkett (ABC) 'huge explosion now'; Fenyo FDNY debate that the building 'looked like it had been taken out with charges'; Tardio/Zoda 'boom, boom, boom… as if they had detonated'; Bussey (WSJ) 'perfectly synchronized explosions coming from each floor'; Rogers FDNY 'synchronized deliberate'; PAPD Sue Keane (Army explosives training) thrown by blasts. Builds on MacQueen's 2006 '118 Witnesses' article. Explosion-language is an observation of testimony. Charge identification is not.

Hypothesis linkage

• H004supportsseeded

  156 explosion-language accounts, mostly FDNY. Language ≠ charge ID.

• H006weakly supportsseeded

  Explosion language is mostly about the twin towers; some WTC 7 reports exist in the oral histories.