My Catholic boss told me at the time that this was definitely Armageddon as predicted in the Bible and said I was allowed to go home to say goodbye to my family. Sparing you the recitation of the entire 9/11 Upstate NY experience, suffice to say, there was panic for at least a week. Panic. Emergency personnel included. Soledad is right, there is no way we can know the truth, and the breakdown of communications enhanced the juicy conspiracy theories circulating at the time.