Court Rules Negligence Didn't Cause Third WTC Tower Collapse

Fell several hours after 9/11 terrorism attack

A federal appeals court has ruled that negligence was not the cause of the collapse of a third World Trade Center tower several hours after the twin towers were destroyed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan issued the decision today in a 2-to-1 ruling. It stemmed from several decisions in recent years by a lower court judge who found that a company owned by developer Larry Silverstein and others could not be held liable.