Building 7 collapse fact checked: Viral 9/11 theories about BBC report and Mossad links debunked

Twenty-five years after 9/11, old claims about the collapse of the Twin Towers and Building 7 are spreading online again. But what do official investigations and the BBC’s own explanation say about the viral claims?

Old 9/11 conspiracy theories about the Twin Towers and Building 7 are going viral again on social media. (AP)The viral claim about the Twin TowersA claim questioning what caused the Twin Towers to collapse is circulating again on Facebook, 25 years after the 9/11 attacks.

The posts share an image of the North Tower during its construction. Text added to the image says, "If you really believe a little plane made this engineering marvel collapse twice you need to do some research," according to Full Fact.

Official investigations into the 9/11 attacks found that the Twin Towers collapsed because the planes caused structural damage and the fires that followed weakened the buildings, according to Full Fact.

A Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) report said the heat from the burning jet fuel put more stress on the damaged parts of the buildings and weakened them further. The report concluded that the added stress and damage were enough to cause both towers to collapse.

A second investigation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology concluded that the collapse of the buildings "resulted from structural damage from direct and indirect effects of aircraft impact and the ensuing fires," as per Full Fact.

Some posts on social media also claim that, “Never forget the fact that the BBC reported Building 7 had collapsed 20 minutes before it happened.”

As per Full Fact, similar claims have been fact-checked before, with some people suggesting that the early BBC report proves the 9/11 attacks were "scripted" or that Building 7 collapsed for a reason other than the terrorist attack.

Another user wrote on X, “I'm not a scientist by training… but the BBC anchor announcing Building 7 collapsed, 20+ minutes before it did, all the while it is literally visible on the screen behind her was enough for me.”

According to Full Fact, the BBC did report that World Trade Center 7, a 47-storey building near the main World Trade Center complex, had collapsed almost 30 minutes before it actually fell. However, it was a reporting error.

The BBC has addressed the mistake several times over the years.

Khushi Arora is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she writes for the US Desk, covering everything happening in the United States, while maintaining quality and delivering impactful stories across all beats. She previously worked at Zee News for over a year where she explored multiple beats including News Desk, Education and Lifestyle. With a background in English Literature, Khushi blends sharp research with thoughtful storytelling, shaping stories that go beyond headlines and bring clarity and credibility to every piece she writes. Beyond the newsroom, she enjoys reading, watching cinema and loves having long conversations about books, films and everything in between.Read More