On the occasion of the Twin Towers collapse on September 11, 2001, exactly 80 years ago, there was also another very similar incident, but this time involving the Empire State Building, which at the time was considered the tallest building in New York City. Inaugurated on May 1, 1931, the Empire State Building is located on the corner of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. At the time, it had 102 floors and was 443 meters high. It was the tallest building in the city, and in the world. It would hold this leading position for 41 years, until the inauguration of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in 1972. However, tragedy struck the Empire State Building just before the end of the Second World War. Notes: Some people have taken this historic event as proof that the twin towers of the World Trade Center could not have been destroyed by aircraft impacts. A B-25 bomber (not to be confused with a B-52) is much smaller, lighter and slower than the commercial planes that hit the World Trade Center buildings, as well as carrying much less fuel. Competent engineers have concluded that, ultimately, it was the uncontrolled burning of jet fuel that softened (not melted) the steel supports of the twin towers, compromising the steel's ability to withstand the load, leading to a catastrophic failure. After the inauguration of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in 1972, the Empire State Building lost its position as the tallest building in New York, but 28 years later, on September 11, 2001, two commercial airliners were crashed into the two twin towers of the World Trade Center, which collapsed. It was the biggest terrorist attack in history, and it restored the Empire State to its position as New York's tallest building.