Andrew L. Siroka

Detective Andrew Siroka died from illnesses caused by inhaling toxic materials while partaking in the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Detective Siroka served with the New York City Police Department for 42 years. He was assigned to the Department of Investigation Squad.

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, seventy-two officers from a total of eight local, state, and federal agencies were killed when terrorist hijackers working for the al Qaeda terrorist network, headed by Osama bin Laden, crashed four hijacked planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

After the impact of the first plane into the World Trade Center's North Tower, putting the safety of others before their own, law enforcement officers along with fire and EMS personnel, rushed to the burning Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to aid the victims and lead them to safety. Due to their quick actions, it is estimated that over 25,000 people were saved.

As the evacuation continued, the South Tower unexpectedly collapsed as a result of the intense fire caused by the impact. The North Tower collapsed a short time later. Seventy-two law enforcement officers, 343 members of the New York City Fire Department, and over 2,800 civilians were killed at the World Trade Center site on 9/11.

A third hijacked plane crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania when the passengers attempted to re-take control of the plane. One law enforcement officer, who was a passenger on the plane, was killed in that crash.

The fourth hijacked plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, killing almost 200 military and civilian personnel. No law enforcement officers were killed at the Pentagon on 9/11.

The terrorist attacks resulted in the declaration of war against the Taliban regime, the illegal rulers of Afghanistan, and the al Qaeda terrorist network which also was based in Afghanistan.

On September 9th, 2005, all of the public safety officers killed on September 11th, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush.

The contamination in the air at the World Trade Center site caused many rescue personnel to become extremely ill and eventually led to the death of several rescue workers.

On May 1st, 2011, members of the United States military conducted a raid on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed Osama bin Laden.

Please click here to visit the memorials of all of the law enforcement officers who have died as a result of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.

Andrew L. Siroka joined the New York City Police Department as a cadet at the age of 19 in 1965 and was appointed on 18 December 1967. He was promoted to detective in August 1979, earned second grade in February 1988 and first grade in April 2001. He made 26 arrests and spent the last 30 years of his career assigned to the Department of Investigation. He was also a longtime delegate representing his fellow detectives.

Detective Siroka retired from the Department of Investigation Squad on 18 December 2009, after 42 years with the department. He was a longtime member of the Honor Legion and served as its president from 2009 until his death. He died on 25 January 2016 as a result of his work on the rescue and recovery after the attacks of 11 September 2001.