The American Institute of Steel Construction states that while jet fuel does not burn hot enough to melt steel, it can reduce steel's strength by more than 50%.
Notes on verification
Confirmed directly by AISC's own published engineering FAQ and corroborated by multiple independent secondary sources citing AISC engineer Farid Alfawakhiri. [tier=unverified indep_score=0.3 clusters=2 claim_tier=notable] [rescored 2026-09-15: curated origin-host map (PR #65); unclassified hosts no longer scored as aggregators]
Sources
- Chatbots are surprisingly effective at debunking conspiracy theories (seed:technology_and_ai)
- https://www.aisc.org/aisc/solutions-center/engineering-faqs/112-steel-exposed-to-fire/ (corroboration)
- https://www.aisc.org/architecture-center/resources/finishes-coatings-and-fire-protection/ (corroboration)
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/9-11-conspiracy-theories-explained-103123054.html (corroboration)