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American Morning

America Under Attack: Iron Workers Search for Possible Survivor

Aired September 13, 2001 - 10:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: How do we talk to our kids about what has taken place and how do you keep them from being scared?

Someone who knows a lot about that, father of two, also one of our best correspondents here at CNN, Marty Savidge is in New York City, made his way up there and brings us more coverage from there -- Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You hear me?

KAGAN: Yes, we can hear you. We can't see you, though.

There you are.

SAVIDGE: All right, there we are.

Well, let me tell you exactly what is going on right now, and there's an intensive search-and-rescue effort that is underway. Specifically, though, we are hearing reports it is focusing on an individual, a survivor who is believed to be trapped in the subbasement underneath of building one.

We know more details about this, but I an right now hesitant to tell them about you -- tell them to you because I don't want to give families out there, thousands of families, any false hope. But at this particular point, we know that this person has been communicating with authorities over a cell phone, was heard most recently, we were told, by a rescuer at about 4:30 this morning.

Now, the problem is there's tons and tons of steal trapped over this specific position, and the effort right now is to try to lift that steel out of the way.

We saw a short while ago an army of iron workers that have come in, they have joined the throng of rescuers on-site here and they are literally cutting away piece by piece, the pieces that made up the twin towers.

Now, we've been showing you the automobiles, we've been showing you the pieces of paper, but quite frankly, if you want the most graphic depiction of what has transpired on the tragedy, walk to the end of the block down here. Twin 110-story building now have been reduced to pile of rubble that stands about 100 feet tall. That is the clearest example of the devastation that has been visited on New York City here.

And as the workers try to go in and do job there, many of them now are putting on repelling harnesses, they are using ropes, because they are literally attaching themselves to any strong points that they can find because that pile is so loose and so capable of shifting. So they use these harnesses, attach themselves, and clamor down much like mountain climbers. They don't believe that any survivors are now going to be found above ground. They have been certain...

KAGAN: Marty, I'm sorry, we're going to have to interrupt you. We'll get back to you in a moment.

(INTERRUPTED BY NEWS CONFERENCE)

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