Stevens campus witnesses disaster across the Hudson

Stunned Stevens students, faculty, staff and community members watched in horror yesterday as New York's World Trade Center spewed smoke and flames. Then, after 10 a.m. as a crowd on Castle Point looked and listened, each massive tower collapsed, rumbling to the city floor.

Those watching from the Stevens Institute of Technology campus were safely across the Hudson River, out of range of the debris, dust and smoke rising from the scene. Campus Police secured the grounds.

Eyewitnesses at Stevens first saw the disaster unfolding when the World Trade Center towers were hit by aircraft and smoke began to surround their highest floors about 9 a.m.

Shortly after 10 a.m. the south tower collapsed.

Plumes of smoke rose through the buildings on lower Manhattan.

Minutes later, the second tower crashed down.

Smoke and dust from the collapsing buildings created a massive, tragic spectacle seen throughout the region.

Classes were canceled last night. Stevens opened today and all facilities are operating. Although smoke was still rising from the scene this morning, the Hoboken campus continued to be upwind of it and unaffected. Many campus and community members stand ready to help in Hoboken. Campus counselors and area religious leaders have been working with students, faculty and staff distraught by what has happened.

Stevens officials worked throughout the day yesterday to determine the whereabouts of several students who were working in the downtown New York City area on co-op assignments. As of last night, all students who had been downtown were accounted for and found safe. Officials then worked to plan a campus ecumenical prayer service today for all those affected by the disaster.

Photos by Drew Diskin

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Founded in 1870 and celebrating 140 Years of Innovation, Stevens Institute of Technology, The Innovation University TM , lives at the intersection of industry, academics and research.  The University's students, faculty and partners leverage their collective real-world experience and culture of innovation, research and entrepreneurship to confront global challenges in engineering, science, systems and technology management.

Based in Hoboken, N.J. and with a location in Washington, D.C., Stevens offers baccalaureate, master’s, certificates and doctoral degrees in engineering, the sciences and management, in addition to baccalaureate degrees in business and liberal arts.  Stevens has been recognized by both the US Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Excellence in the areas of systems engineering and port security research. The University has a total enrollment of more than 2,200 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate students with almost 450 faculty. Stevens’ graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America as well as strategic partnerships with industry leaders, governments and other universities around the world.  Additional information may be obtained at www.stevens.edu and www.stevens.edu/press.