Ground Zero Timeline & Location Inspector | Lower Manhattan Geospatial Verification

Geodetic Measurement

Straight-Line: 1,850 ft

Meters / Miles: 564 m (0.35 mi)

Walking Transit: ~7 - 9 mins

Perimeter Status: Zone 3 (Periphery)

Temporal Chronology (Sept 11, 2001) 9:59 AM - Collapse Phase

Scrub Timeline Event Sequence: Point 4 of 6

8:46 AM 9:03 AM 9:59 AM 10:28 AM Midday 25th Anniv.

09:59 AM EDT — South Tower (WTC 2) Collapses

Initial catastrophic dust and debris cloud expands south toward Wall St.

Dense dust storm propagates along Broadway and Trinity Place. 71 Broadway (U.S. Steel Building / Empire Building) experiences heavy particulate plume ~1,850 feet southeast of the tower base.

Archival Statement Cross-Reference

Reported Statement (NBC News)

"President Trump tells a story in which he says two firefighters picked him up off the ground near the U.S. Steel Building close to ground zero."

Reported Location: U.S. Steel Building (71 Broadway)
Claimed Action: Picked up off ground / carried to safety right after attacks.

Documented Record (FDNY & GIS)

The U.S. Steel Building at 71 Broadway sits at Broadway & Rector St, approx. 6 blocks (1,850 ft) southeast of the South Tower footprint.

FDNY Zone: Outer evacuation perimeter.
Historical Context: Trump stated on 9/13/2001 to German TV that he observed the collapse from Trump Tower (40 Wall St / Midtown).

Landmark Coordinate Verification

Site Name	Address / Sector	Coordinates	Distance to WTC

Spatial & Evacuation Geometry Analysis

71 Broadway (historic U.S. Steel Building / Empire Building) stands directly opposite Trinity Church Cemetery. On 9/11, Broadway served as a primary southward evacuation funnel towards Bowling Green and Battery Park. The distance to the South Tower is measured at 1,850 feet (0.35 miles) across dense financial district street blocks.

Sources & Attributions: Coordinates verified via NYC OpenData GIS & USGS geodetic surveys. Archival quotes sourced from NBC News 2026 reporting ahead of the 25th 9/11 anniversary.