A physician who volunteered at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks has released never-before-seen photographs documenting the devastation and human compassion. Dr Emil Chynn, now 50, recalled seeing the Twin Towers ablaze while walking his dog on September 11, 2001, and immediately put on rollerblades to rush to the scene and offer medical assistance.
Chynn set up one of the initial triage centres amid the chaos of the collapsed 110-story buildings. He spent about a week volunteering at the site, capturing images on a film camera. 'As soon as I arrived I was surrounded by smoke, debris and paper inches deep but I had to go and find the buildings,' he said. The photographs show the ruins and rescue efforts.
More than 10,000 people were treated for injuries after hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. The deaths included 343 New York City firefighters, 23 police officers, and 37 Port Authority officers. Chynn noted that the photos highlight 'the pure compassion that people have for other strangers' and how the city came together to help.
The cleanup cost $750 million, requiring 3.1 million hours of labour to remove 1.8 million tons of debris. Nearly two-thirds of 9/11 responders have developed Ground Zero-related health conditions, including over 2,070 cancer cases among New York firefighters. In response to the attacks, the US created the Department of Homeland Security, merging 22 agencies.
