9/11 Science and Conspiracy Director's Diary
http://ngccommunity.nationalgeographic.com/ngcblogs/inside-ngc/2009/08/911-science-and-conspiracy-directors-diary.htmlBy Skye Earls
August 25, 2009 10:43 AM
9/11: Science and Conspiracy
Premieres Monday August 31 at 9P et/pt
Director's Diary During the Filming of the Show
DEMOLITION PREP
Director Robert Erickson documents the demolition of a dormitory on a college campus to compare the process with what conspiracy theorists claim took place in the twin towers and caused them to fall.
WEDNESDAY 11/19/08
I arrived in Thibidoux, Louisiana just after 1PM this afternoon. The Demolition team had not been clear about exactly where on the Nicholls State University campus this old dormitory was located. I called the foreman and he told me to look for the tallest building in the area. I finally found the nine-story brick structure behind the football field. They gave me a hard hat and set me loose. I fired up the HD camera and rolled tape. The place was abuzz with acetylene torches and sparks flying as they cut the steel beams. About a dozen workers. Lots of noise, jack hammers and big equip. Thinking about the World Trade Center towers I considered how difficult it would be to do this work without someone noticing.
The building is nine stories high. An old dormitory. They have knocked through the cinderblocks and are torching the beams, actually cutting a large "V" to weaken them. They will finish the major prep on Thursday and load the explosives on Friday.
Jim Redyke, from Dykon Demolition, tells me that the beams they are cutting here in Louisiana are puny compared to the WTC beams. WTC beams are ten times larger. Some effort spent on weakening the heavily cemented staircase/elevator shaft.
THURSDAY 11/20/08
It is cold again this morning but will warm up through the day. Redyke was fairly helpful today. I ventured onto the upper floors to see their destructive efforts there. Cinderblock columns smashed to reveal the steel girder beneath. I captured--more destruction, more torches, and a safety meeting. In the early afternoon Redyke put together the explosives, inserting fuses into the copper shape charges and dynamite sticks.
The University is planning quite a celebration for the implosion. They've invited crowds, put the blast off till 11AM, they are selling raffle tickets to see who pushes the button, and the Jazz band is coming to play a New Orleans style funeral dirge just before the explosion.
Find out what happens in the rest of the director's diary >>
And don't forget to tune in on Monday August 31 9P et/pt for the premiere of 9/11: Science and Conspiracy.
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