'I thought I had died': Pentagon attack survivor recalls events of 9/11

11 September 2021, 18:31

'And then the building came down on top of us. I thought I had died.'

A survivor of the Pentagon attack, Dan Holdridge, shares with LBC his shocking experience of 9/11 and the "survivor's guilt" he now lives with as he has a "second shot at life".

It comes as across the US, UK and the world, commemorations for those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks are being held.

David Lammy asked: "What was it like, Dan?"

Mr Holdridge replied: "I was a computer engineer inside the Pentagon. We were installing computer networks inside the renovated section of the Pentagon where the plane had hit.

"I was on my way down to the naval command centre where we were going to be continuing on our projects and I heard about New York.

"When I first heard it was one plane I thought 'Oh, what a horrible accident', and I think a lot of other people may have thought the same, and then as I was talking to my friend and she said there's a second plane that just went into the other Trade Center, I'm like - one's an accident, two - we're at war."

New York Air Traffic Center manager on 9/11 recalls events

Read more: 'Her legacy burns like an eternal flame': Father's moving speech at 9/11 memorial

Mr Holdridge then described how he thought being in the Pentagon meant he would "be okay", and went on a cigarette break with a colleague.

He then read about the World Trade Center attacks on his phone and said to his colleague: "Jeez Bobby, what's next? The Pentagon?"

Read more: 'The terrorists failed': Boris Johnson reflects on 20 years from 9/11

Within seconds of saying that, the "glass went out" which threw him "a big distance and then the building came down" on top of them.

"I thought I'd died," Mr Holdridge said.

Read more: 9/11: How the devastation unfolded 20 years ago

Read more: 'My thoughts are with the victims': Queen's message to Joe Biden on 9/11 anniversary