Fire caused collapse of World Trade Center 7: probe

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

NEW YORK (AFP) — A raging, long-burning fire caused the collapse of World Trade Center building number 7, which tumbled hours after hijacked jets hit the twin towers on September 11, 2001, investigators said Thursday.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) found that the 47-story building, which stood right next to towers 1 and 2, caught fire due to the debris that flew into it after the planes struck.

It eventually fell after seven hours due to instability caused by the fire, not by explosives as some conspiracy theorists have claimed.

"Our study found that the fires in WTC 7, which were uncontrolled but otherwise similar to fires experienced in other tall buildings, caused an extraordinary event," said lead investigator Shyam Sunder....