Business · India Bureau
Last survivor from 9/11 firefighter station keeps memories alive
A quarter-century after the September 11 terror attacks, one firefighter remains from New York's Ten House station, which lost six members and stood across from the World Trade Center. Sal Argano now serves as a custodian of history, sharing firsthand accounts with younger generations.
LSN India ·
As the United States marks 25 years since the September 11, 2001 attacks, Sal Argano stands alone among active firefighters at FDNY's Ten House station—a sobering reminder of the day's human toll. The firehouse, situated directly across from the World Trade Center in Manhattan, was devastated in the attacks, losing six of its members in the collapse.
Argano survived the tragedy by circumstance rather than by design. A temporary assignment elsewhere that morning placed him away from the station when the attacks unfolded, sparing him from the fate that befell his colleagues. As colleagues and younger firefighters have moved on through retirement and the passage of years, he has remained at his post.
Today, Argano has become a living archive of that catastrophic day. He dedicates himself to preserving the institutional memory of Ten House by meeting with visitors and sharing firsthand accounts of the attacks and their aftermath. His presence at the station serves as a tangible connection between the events of 9/11 and new generations of firefighters and the public.
The firefighter's continued service underscores the lasting impact of the attacks on New York's first responder community. While most who served that day have moved on, Argano's commitment to keeping their stories alive ensures that the sacrifices made on September 11 remain part of the station's living history.