nicolette on the observation level as high up in the monument as visitors can go. she s waiting to take a group of about 20 tourists down in the elevator. as i m sitting there, the elevator actually starts to make noise. she realizes immediately something unusual is happening. i know the elevator s noises and these are loud banging sounds, then the walls of the elevator begin to vibrate. the monument begins to shake dramatically, nicolette doesn t know what is happening, but she knows staying on the observation level is probably not a good idea. we re 500 feet up in the air. the windows don t open. the only way to go is down. so i jump off the ledge, i run down that stairwell. and that next level, there s an emergency exit for the stairs. i open the door to get the visitors down. debris rains down on the fleeing tourists. the building is rocking so violently, it almost knocks the ranger off her feet. i m terrified. i m thinking, i don t know if i m going to get to the bot
monument. it s 500 feet up and we have windows on all four sides. you can see very far into maryland, virginia, about 30, 35 miles at least. security camera footage from just before 2 o:00 p.m. shows nicolette on the observation level as high up in the monument as visitors can go. she s waiting to take a group of about 20 tourists down in the elevator. as i m sitting there, the elevator actually starts to make noise. she realizes immediately something unusual is happening. i know the elevator s noises and these are loud banging sounds, then the walls of the elevator begin to vibrate. the monument begins to shake dramatically, nicolette doesn t know what is happening, but she knows staying on the observation level is probably not a good idea. we re 500 feet up in the air. the windows don t open. the only way to go is down. so i jump off the ledge, i run down that stairwell. and that next level, there s an emergency exit for the stairs. i open the door to get the
it s 500 feet up and we have windows on all four sides. you can see very far into maryland, virginia, about 30, 35 miles at least. security camera footage from just before 2:00 p.m. shows nicolette on the observation level as high up in the monument as visitors can go. she s waiting to take a group of about 20 tourists down in the elevator. as i m sitting there, the elevator actually starts to make noise. she realizes immediately something unusual is happening. i know the elevator s noises and these are loud banging sounds, then the walls of the elevator begin to vibrate. the monument begins to shake dramatically, nicolette doesn t know what is happening, but she knows staying on the observation level is probably not a good idea. we re 500 feet up in the air. the windows don t open. the only way to go is down. so i jump off the ledge, i run down that stairwell. and that next level, there s an emergency exit for the stairs. i open the door to get the visitors down.