One Person's Trash is Another's WTC Blueprint Bonanza

Proving that there's a market for oversize shredders, a homeless man discovered two copies of blueprints for Freedom Tower, aka World Trade Center Tower One, in the trash at Sullivan and Houston Streets. The Post puts Mike Fleming (a "homeless, recovering drug addict") on the cover and questions the security lapse, pointing out, "It's a good thing Osama wasn't walking through SoHo yesterday morning."

Fleming had been looking for cardboard to sleep on when he discovered the plans. While the blueprints weren't complete and are from last October, they did "contain details such as plans for each floor, the thickness of the concrete-core wall and the location of air ducts, elevators, electrical systems and support columns." A security consultant warned, "Certainly, if you know the thickness of concrete, someone with an explosive background can develop and plot an attack."

The Port Authority, who is in charge of WTC construction, is launching an investigation and told the Post, "Violating these protocols is cause for serious disciplinary action - up to termination for employees and breach of contract and legal action for contractors."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on April 18, 2008 12:34 PM

Comments [rss]

Kingpin

You probably are, but the point is what were they thinking just dumping those plans in a trash can on the street? And presumably you have to have certain credentials to view the plans via those agencies.

BellG

Am I being an idiot here, or is this all irrelevant because any building using public funding made in New York must have it's blueprints made publicly available for viewing (though not copying) through several agencies around the city?

babyhitler

yeah those guys on 9/11 really researched how planes could go through the thickness of concrete. Give me a break. this is like someone researching how thick your skull is to provide just the right amount of force to bash your brains in. Just swing man, just swing.

Kingpin

Is it just that these moronic acts are getting reported more now that we're drowning in news outlets, or is is it actually a case of the human race slowly getting more stupid as suggested by Idiocracy?

Snoopy

And duh? If the terrorists want to take down the building wouldn't they plant an individual in the architect's or general contractor's office? This building is not being designed and built by one person, albeit as the timeline indicates it might just as well be.

Politburo

I don't think it's trivial. But at the same time, I don't think it's as big a deal as the Post makes it out to be. Any attack will likely be devastating, plans or no.

Jesq

...but no taking pictures on bridges.

zodak

wow Politburo, you are really good at dismissing this breach as trivial, do you work at DHS?

Rocknrope

Knowing the Port Authority, they'll spend a month sifting through rubble, and by the time they work out what went wrong, he'll be sitting on a beach, earning twenty percent.

Dirk

It's a good thing Osama wasn't walking through SoHo yesterday morning.

Excellent journalism on the part of the Post.

wowthatsucks

# 1 rule in bomb making: make it bigger than you think you'll need.

who needs blueprints?

Reality Czech

Good thing terrorist aren't garbage diggers.

Politburo

Can't someone with an explosives background already develop and plot an attack? Obviously, having the plans would make an attack more likely to be successful, but I don't think it changes the likelihood of an attack happening.

Real life is not like the movies. You're not going to look at these plans and find an small thermal exhaust port, just below the main one.