Last man down : the fireman's story

On September 11th, Battalion Commander Richard 'Pitch' Picciotto was the highest ranking fire department commander in the twin towers when the North Tower fell. Pitch and his men were on the 17th floor racing upward when the world seemed to explode around them.

From his intimate knowledge of the Towers gained during service after the 1993 WTC bombing Pitch was able to lead the firefighters to an alternative stairwell to floor 12 where they were met with a horrifying sight - more than 50 workers too crippled, too old, or too weak to have made their way out on their own. Pitch ordered his firefighters to form a human chain and pushed and cajoled them down the stairs.

They were in the 7th floor stairwell when the tower fell, and Pitch and a handful of survivors woke to find themselves buried on the landing of floor 2.

This is the story of how Pitch Picciotto led his men and the survivors to safety.