NEW YORK - Workers at the site of the World Trade Center in New York have removed several bodies discovered in what was once the lobby of one of the crumpled towers, officials said yesterday.
In a grisly discovery, the demolition teams came across 13 corpses in a six-hour period on New Year's Day in a small pocket of the lobby of one of the Twin Towers that had not been completely crushed.
None has yet been identified, but 10 of the bodies were New York City firemen.
As the mechanical diggers and cranes continue to work at removing the rubble from ground zero, officials say they expect to find similar areas in the coming days.
All may contain bodies. It has long been known that large numbers of people were trapped in the lobby areas when the towers collapsed.
Because of the extraordinary impact of the towers collapsing, the lobby areas have been driven about 9 metres underground. Most of those who were in them would have been killed instantly.
Steel girders and concrete did ensure that a few small areas remained open, however.
No one is surprised that so many of the bodies found this week were those of firemen.
Commanders long ago reported that many officers who should have evacuated the buildings refused to do so while there were citizens still inside to evacuate.
It is estimated that the bodies of 130 of the 343 firefighters missing in the terrorist attack have now been identified.
The discovery comes at a time of controversy in the fire service.
The leadership of the fire department is refusing to allow firemen to go to Ground Zero to remove the bodies of their brethren whenever they are found, arguing that they would impede the salvage operation.
Union officials insist the firemen should be given the right to bring their fallen men out.
Meanwhile, a widow is seeking the autopsy records of a firefighter who died in the Twin Towers attack and was mistakenly identified and buried as her husband.
Elise Guadalupe said in court papers that she wanted her own experts to review the autopsy materials so she can be assured the victim is not her husband, Jose, who is listed as missing.
The city agreed yesterday to save the materials, including tissue samples, records and photographs, until January 16, when a ruling on her petition is expected.
The body was found two weeks after the September 11 attack, and the medical examiner's office based the identification on fire department x-rays that showed a congenital neck abnormality.
Later DNA tests confirmed the body was that of another firefighter, Christopher Santora, who had the same abnormality and wore a similar gold chain. Both men worked for Engine Co 54.
- AGENCIES
Story archives:
Links: Terror in America - the Sept 11 attacks
Timeline: Major events since the Sept 11 attacks
13 bodies found in tower ruins
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