down as well. >> once it did begin to clear after that, several minutes of pitch darkness what did you see in the streets? >> a very deep gray smoke. it looked like a bit of a nuclear winter. the type of thing you see in the movies with ash all over the ground, on top of cars, on police karkss on windcars, on windows. i made my way into a building and stayed there until a couple of police officers and a few others in the building were able to get into a vehicle. we picked up a few injured people along the way and dropped them off at the hospital. >> one policeman had a deep gash in his forehead. he was all right. and the young lady had shrapnel in her arm. don't know whether it was part of a building or glass from another building. it was truly the most intense and frightening experience i've ever had in my life. it was literally pitch black on the streets. and people were you know, obviously, inhaling a great deal of this material. so many folks having difficulty breathing and wearing facial masks as well. >> we're happy you're all right. >> we have -- united airlines confirmed that united flight 175