Crime & Safety

VIEWFINDER: West Pierce Dedicates World Trade Center Steel In University Place

Almost a month after five volunteers brought the piece of steel from the Twin Towers back from New York, the fire department honored the sacrifice of the fallen 343 and other firefighters who have lost their lives protecting the community.

University Place paid its respects to so much more than a piece of steel Tuesday night.

Almost a month after five firefighters volunteered to bring back a West Pierce Fire & Rescue officially dedicated the artifact Tuesday night.

But Chief Ken Sharp and others who attended the ceremony in the bay of the University Place fire station recognized the festivities were about more than a piece of a fallen building.

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The steel, recovered from the World Trade Center after the 9/11 attacks in New York, represented the 343 fallen fighters who lost their lives entering the Twin Towers more than a decade ago.

It also represented the sacrifices of all firefighters who've lost their lives protecting the community, whether they were at Ground Zero or not.

Find out what's happening in University Placewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The piece of steel will be on display in the lobby of West Pierce Fire & Rescue, and officials hope to build a permanent display outside the station.

(Click on the media gallery to view photos from tonight's activities)

(To read University Place Patch's


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