Faulty fireproofing caused collapse of World Trade Center buildings:
report

YORK (AP) - U.S. investigators said Tuesday the World Trade Center buildings probably would not have collapsed in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks if fireproofing had adhered firmly to the walls.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology also concluded the average survivor took more than double the estimated time to descend emergency stairwells and better communication between emergency responders could have saved more lives.

The NIST, which issued three reports on the attacks, did not blame designers or builders for the buildings' collapse. However, Shyam Sunder, who led NIST's fire and safety investigation, said there are now better ways to ensure fireproofing adheres to steel.

"Even with the airplane impact and jet-fuel-ignited multifloor fires, which are not normal building fires, the buildings would likely not have collapsed had it not been for the fireproofing that had been dislodged," he said.

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