MERIDEN, CT (WFSB) - Ceremonies were held across the state on Thursday to honor the lives lost on 9/11.

One of the ceremonies happened at Meriden City Hall.

Among those who attended were two first responders who rushed in to help others on Sept. 11, 2001.

Hector Cardona was a patrol officer with the Meriden Police Department at that time.

Cardona, now retired, was at the station that morning. He said he watched the TV in horror as the planes hit the twin towers.

He said he knew he had to help and went to Ground Zero the next day.

“It was like a war zone,” Cardona said. “You never thought that would happen in the United States. You see that in third world countries.”

Twenty-four years later, he has reminders of that day: A piece of one of the towers, and another piece of an airplane.

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