Community Corner
World Trade Center Steel Serves as 9/11 Reminder in Durham
Soon after the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks, the town received a small piece of the rubble from Ground Zero.
A modest reminder of the September 11th attacks hangs on a wall inside Durham's firehouse.
The small piece of twisted steel recovered from Ground Zero arrived in town soon after the 10th anniversary of the tragedy last year and was presented to members of the Durham Volunteer Fire Company during their annual banquet in November 2011.
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"It was a bitter-sweet moment," said W. Allen Fritts, a volunteer firefighter in Durham. "We were very touched and proud to get it, but on the other hand it was also a reminder of very tragic reminder of the event that took place."
Fritts, an honorary assistant chief with the Fire Department of New York, worked closely with former Durham fire chief Harry Hall to acquire the piece.
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A gold plaque that accompanies the steel reads "Let us never forget," words credited to Lee Ielpi, a former FDNY fire chief who now serves on the 9/11 Memorial Museum Board of Directors, acccording to Fritts.
Fritts was for the 10th anniversary of the attacks.
"I think about it quite frequently," he said.
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