World Trade Center beam erected at Pa. memorial

ERIE, Pa. (AP) — Workers have erected an 18-foot tall, 5-ton steel beam from the ruins of the World Trade Center at a budding northwestern Pennsylvania memorial to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The Erie Times-News says former Erie City Councilman Mark Aleksandrowicz helped secure the beam, and he was present Wednesday when it was erected on the 12 anniversary of the attacks.

The beam is part of a memorial outside the city’s Blasco Library honoring the victims of the attacks.

The former councilman calls the beam a “piece of history” and says it will help provide a visible reminder and context about the events of the day. The memorial is set to be completed later this year.

Erie is along the southern shore of the Great Lake of the same name.