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I woke up shortly after first plane hit the building. At this time I didn't know anything had happened. It was a day when I took a day off and go to ukranian consulate to apply for visa, as I had tickets for the next week on hands already.
When I woke up as usually I looked outside of windows. From 5th floor my view oversees most of Brooklyn and usually roofs of some buildings are visible on clear weather. I sow smoke leaning torwards Brooklyn and Staten Island. I looked at it as weather anomality, maybe a storm was brewing, I couldn't have imagine such devostation for my city, 15 miles away from me. At I didn't spend whole lot time looking at it as I was rushing to take care of my visa.
In about 15 minutes I was out getting in to car. I drove several blocks through Brooklyn and got out on a highway heading to Brooklyn Bridge to NYC.
All the way to Brooklyn brigde roads were empty, I never seen them so empty like that even at night, city alway has some traffic on major roads, it was very strage. I've past through a cloud of dust, fire dust, which from far appeard like a fog. I got to Brooklyn Bridge ram, police car was blocking it, office was standing beside. I've stoped and asked what was happening. as cop pointed in the direction of downtown city I turned my head to see a cloud of black smoke over were Twin Towers usually had been proudly standing.
I was devistated, as I pulled of from a highway to turn back I entered downtown Brooklyn area, it was total chaos, next few weeks felt like being in a war zone. Rest of the day was spend in trying to find a way out as traffic was completely shut in that area of town, and more importantly trying get in touch with everyone you know. telephone lines were nearly unusable for the rest of the day, very little calles could get through heavily loaded lines.
Ashes covered city for the next following days reminding everytime of tradegy.
Luckily many people who were suppoused to be in WTC area that day and that time by mear luck or coincidence weren't there, many were on their way.
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