On the morning of September 11 , 2001 , Hatton was on his way to work when he saw the North Tower of the World Trade Center on fire after being struck by a jet airliner . According to eyewitness accounts , he turned back to help . On his own initiative , he responded directly to the North Tower , where he assumed a position on the roof of the Marriott Hotel . From his vantage point , he radioed his squad from atop the hotel and reported that civilians were jumping from the North Tower . He radioed again when a second airliner had struck the South Tower . Because of falling debris , he moved from the roof and joined with New York City Fire Department ( FDNY ) firefighters in evacuating the civilians trapped within the South Tower . One civilian survivor told investigators that Hatton guided him to safety and then went back into the South Tower . Asking where Hatton was going , his last response was " back into the building " . Hatton continued to stay in the South Tower to help evacuate the civilians in the building when it collapsed , killing him , along with many others inside the South Tower
second airliner
United Airlines Flight 175
Leonard W. Hatton Jr.