Cool-headed meteorologists were quick to put the story to bed: it was just an optical illusion, the cause of sunlight hitting a cloud disturbed by wind or plane traffic in just the right way.

Overall, half of the respondents said they had been in the dust cloud from the collapsing towers;70 percent witnessed a traumatic sight, such as a plane hitting the tower or falling bodies;

He called hisparents to tell them about a plane hitting the first tower, and that he had a"plan."