South Tower: Exploding Projectile

A close-up view of debris being ejected from the South Tower of the World Trade Center as the 30-floor top section falls to the east shows numerous smoking projectiles that look like comets. Several of them can be seen to explode. One such exploding projectile is followed here. It ejects two fragments, both of which undergo secondary explosions. (Note, the rising fragment to the left of the projectile under consideration appears to be a tumbling object that alternates from black to white to invisible. It passes behind one of the fragments described in the video.)




South Tower: Exploding Projectile

This is the South Tower of the World Trade Center viewed from the southeast. As it falls it tips toward the camera.

Notice that as the skeleton of the roofline partially emerges from the dust there are a number of smoking projectiles that look like comets.

A number of these objects undergo explosions. Watch the comet-like object at the far right in slow motion. It is the most easily viewed because it shows up against the blue sky.


Let's take it one frame at a time.

• Here we see it flaring. 
• A fragment is ejected to the left. 
• Now the fragment itself splits apart. 
• Let's go back to the earlier explosion. Note that another fragment is being shot down and to the right. 
• It also undergoes a secondary explosion.

These explosions may seem small, but the fact that there are explosions at all confirms the presence of explosives in the building.