Christchurch earthquake crews remember 9/11

Marti Winn (left) and Terry Turner. Photo / Alan Gibson

Marti Winn and Terry Turner reflect on the events of nine years ago as they stand next to a steel girder from the World Trade Centre, which forms a memorial to the terror attacks, in the Firefighters Reserve in central Christchurch.

Christchurch firefighters briefly stopped their earthquake clean-up work on Saturday to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

In May 2002, five steel girders weighing 5.5 tonnes were salvaged from the World Trade Centre site and gifted to the city of Christchurch by the city of New York for use in a public art work to honour all firefighters worldwide.

The suspended component or "spear", in its red-hot state, fell from the 102nd floor of Tower Two, piercing the subway below.