At it's media briefing on Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. the U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released it's long-awaited final report on why a third skyscraper, the 47-story World Trade Center Building 7 (WTC 7), mysteriously collapsed onto its own footprint in seconds at 5:20 p.m. on September 11, 2001.

Dr. S. Shyam Sunder, NIST's lead investigator for the WTC disaster, reported that the collapse was caused by fires in the building initiated by falling debris from the collapse of WTC 1 at 10:28 a.m., but that structural damage from the debris "had little effect in causing the collapse of WTC 7." In fact Sunder attributed this first ever total collapse of a tall building by fire to "heating of floor beams and girders" which caused a "critical support column to fail, initiating a fire-induced progressive collapse."

Although Sunder said the investigation ruled out controlled demolition, in a past interview with Alex Jones, architect Richard Gage, founder of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth said, "The science is very clear. These buildings WTC 1, 2 and 7 were controlled demolitions and there's been quite an effort on the part of the 9/11 commission, FEMA and NIST to cover up this fact. And Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth are demanding a new investigation, unimpeachable, with subpoena power for the U.S. Congress."

At 12:00 p.m. EST, just after the NIST briefing concluded, Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth (ae911truth.org) held its own press conference (audio available) to refute NIST's claims.

The Alex Jones interview with Richard Gage, AIA, founder of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth:


NIST's video of the press briefing:


NIST's video The Collapse of World Trade Center 7: Why the Building Fell

(If this link doesn't work, try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rawrAdoccDk)

No Lies Radio 8/21/08 interview with Dr. Shyam Sunder: http://noliesradio.org/

Dr. Shylam Sunder of NIST and Graeme MacQueen on CKNX Radio Wingham, Ontario, August 25, 2008:


In response to the NIST report, David Chandler did this video analysis that shows that WTC7 collapsed in free fall and that NIST's claim, on page 36, that it took 40% longer than free fall is misleading:


Update 9/15/08:
Here are some submissions for NIST's request for public comments on their 8/21/08 "final report" of the collapse of WTC 7:
1. By James R. Gourley, Esq., Tony Szamboti, Richard Gage, AIA, Graeme MacQueen, Ph.D., Steven Jones, Ph.D., Kevin Ryan, Niels Harrit, Ph.D., Ron Brookman, Chris Sarns, Kamal Obeid, SE PE, Scott Grainger, PE, Frank Legge, Bob Fischer, Justin Keogh, David Chandler, and Gregg Roberts: http://911research.wtc7.net/letters/nist/WTC7Comments.html
2. By John D. Wyndham, Ph.D. (Physics): http://www.911blogger.com/node/17578

Update 9/20/08:
DEBATE: Were the World Trade Towers brought down by controlled demolition? Richard Gage, AIA, of AE911Truth.org versus Michael Shermer of Skeptic Magazine (www.skeptic.com, also see their 9/11/06 article in support of the official story) first broadcast 9/18/08 on Oakland's KKGN 960 AM radio and archived at No Lies Radio: http://noliesradio.org/

Update 9/21/08:
Arron Dykes of infowars.com reported on 9/16/08 that key WTC 7 witness Barry Jennings died at age 53, possibly on August 19, 2008, two days before the NIST report on WTC 7 was released. Dykes has not been able to find an obituary. Here is the 9/17/08 Alex Jones Show, The Strange Death of Barry Jennings:


Update 11/20/08:
NIST released final report on WTC 7 "strengthened by clarifications and supplemental text suggested by organizations and individuals worldwide in response to the draft WTC 7 report, released for public comment on Aug. 21, but the revisions did not alter the investigation team’s major findings and recommendations, which include identification of fire as the primary cause for the building’s failure." http://nist.gov/public_affairs/techbeat/tbx2008_1120_wtc7.htm

Update 12/7/08:
David Chandler's video response to the 11/20/08 final NIST report on WTC 7, which now accepts and includes his finding that the building was in free fall:


Update 12/31/08:
Part II of David Chandler's video response to the 11/20/08 final NIST report on WTC 7 where he makes a case that NIST fudged its collapse analysis to fit their computer model:


Update 1/2/09:
Part III of David Chandler's video response to the 11/20/08 final NIST report on WTC 7 where he discusses the implications of NIST's acceptance that the building was in free fall: