9/11 photos: Unseen photos show ground zero devastation after attacks

Photographs show rubble of World Trade Centre towers during clean-up operation

Thousands of photographs taken at Ground Zero in the wake of the 9/11 attacks have come to light after they were purchased at an estate auction.

The photographs were shot among the rubble of the World Trade Centre towers during the clean-up operation between September and October 2001.

Unseen by the public since the devastation, the pictures emerged after they were bought by an archivist couple at the auction of a private estate.

“My significant other acquired them at an estate sale as we collect & archive vintage media for public benefit,” Dr Johnathan Burgess said.

The 2,389 pictures were held on five CDs, which Dr Burgess passed along to fellow archivist Jason Scott, who uploaded them to his Flickr page.

The photographer behind the pictures is unknown but Dr Burgess and Scott are working to identify them.

A selection of the photographs is compiled in the gallery above.