Iron Worker Dennis Quinn’s Hard Hat

On September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center's Twin Towers in New York City collapsed after being struck by hijacked commercial airplanes in a terrorist attack. Witnessing the unfolding tragedy on television, Dennis Quinn, of the Local 1 ironworker’s union in Chicago, Illinois, recognized his specialized skills in erecting and demolishing steel structures could be vital to the rescue and recovery efforts.

Six days after the attacks, on September 17, Quinn drove from Chicago to New York City with four colleagues, including his younger brother, Leo. For the next six weeks, working the 4 PM to midnight shift, seven days a week, Quinn and his team dedicated themselves to untangling and removing the immense debris pile at Ground Zero.

The experiences of ironworkers like Quinn became an essential part of the historical record collected by curators documenting the September 11 attacks. Initially, there was hope of finding survivors, but as time passed and the likelihood of rescue diminished, the focus shifted entirely to debris removal. Ironworkers frequently paused their work when potential evidence for the post-attack investigation was discovered, halting all operations until investigators could examine the findings.

Dennis Quinn recalled that first responders, such as fire rescue and police, expressed gratitude for the ironworkers' presence. He described the massive debris pile, simply as the "Pile," as resembling a warzone, with hazardous conditions and widespread destruction. The contributions of ironworkers were crucial to making the area safer and more navigable for all those involved in the recovery operation.