Not sure why but, I have to enter my name and e-mail each time I post now. *********************************************************

Thursday, September 13 10:40 AM SGT

Empire State building evacuated

NEW YORK, Sept 12 (AFP) - The Empire State building, the tallest structure left standing in New York after the collapse of the World Trade Center, was evacuated late Wednesday, an AFP photographer on the spot said.

Local television stations said a suspicious package was discovered on the 44th floor of the 102-storey building and bomb-sniffer dogs had entered the building.

An employee of the CBS television channel who worked on the 83rd floor said everybody in the building raced for safety and were moved by police at least four blocks away from the landmark.

"There were very few people in the building at the time and security today had been much higher than normal. The building was almost in darkness tonight after being closed to the public since Tuesday's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center," he said.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001