Unfortunately, New York City with its sky high buildings and proximity to multiple airports is somewhat of a target for low flying planes. One of the earliest memories of a plane smashing into a building comes from July 28, 1945, when residents were terrified after a B-25 bomber in the middle of a routine test mission crashed into the Empire State Building. 14 people were left dead following the incident which Therese Fortier Willig remembers as a living nightmare. She told NPR:
In the other side of the office, all I could see was flames. Mr. Fountain was walking through the office when the plane hit the building and he was on fire -- I mean, his clothes were on fire, his head was on fire. Six of us managed to get into this one office that seemed to be untouched by the fire and close the door before it engulfed us. There was no doubt that the other people must have been killed.
Unfortunately, New York City with its sky high buildings and proximity to multiple airports is somewhat of a target for low flying planes. One of the earliest memories of a plane smashing into a building comes from July 28, 1945, when residents were terrified after a B-25 bomber in the middle of a routine test mission crashed into the Empire State Building. 14 people were left dead following the incident which Therese Fortier Willig remembers as a living nightmare. She told NPR:
In the other side of the office, all I could see was flames. Mr. Fountain was walking through the office when the plane hit the building and he was on fire -- I mean, his clothes were on fire, his head was on fire. Six of us managed to get into this one office that seemed to be untouched by the fire and close the door before it engulfed us. There was no doubt that the other people must have been killed.
![July 28, 1945 aB-25 bomber crashed into the Empire State Building [727x800 - 647KB]](https://pic8.co/sh/MfV9fv.png){kind=link}
(post is archived)