911 Calls Give Sense Of Fear & Shock Day Of Rosedale Train Explosion
ROSEDALE, Md. (WJZ) -- Panic and confusion. That's clearly heard on 911 calls from the Rosedale train explosion. Close to 30 calls were released Friday.
Mary Bubala reports they give a real sense of the fear and shock out there that day.
Michael, Call #1: "A train just derailed. There's a huge fire in front of our business right now. It's huge. I don't know, that thing's going to blow up."
Seconds after that first call into 911, there was a massive explosion, and more calls poured in.
Christine, Call #8: "Oh God, something just exploded."
911 Operator: "There is help on the way."
Kenny, Call #2: "It just blew up, ma'am."
911 Operator: "I heard it, sir."
Kenny, Call #2: "My God."
911 Operator: "Do you know what kind of chemicals or whatnot they may have there?"
Kenny, Call #2: "No ma'am, I don't."
The 911 calls came in from around the region, as the explosion was felt 30 or more miles away.
911 Operator: "We do have a large fire going on in like the Rosedale area.
Jack, Call #5: "That's a long way away. I'm not kidding you, it shook the house. It shook all the windows in the house."
But the closest to the scene, like Mike, called 911 just before he ran to help the truck driver trapped in the wreckage.
Mike, Call #3: "There's been a terrible train accident. A train hit a truck.
911 Operator: "What kind of train is it there, sir? Is it a freight train, or?"
Mike, Call #3: "Yes ma'am, it's a freight train, I want to go help them."
911 Operator: "I will have help there as soon as possible."
Mike, Call #3: "There are going to be injuries, trust me. The truck got demolished."
The driver survived and so did dozens of nearby employees, who narrowly escaped blown out windows and collapsing walls.
Derek, Call #10: "The building next door is totally destroyed, and it blew our doors off the building."
911 Operator: "Is everyone out of that building?"
Derek, Call #10: "They are telling us to get the hell out of here."
911 Operator: "Alright, go ahead and get out, everyone out of the building. Don't go back over there for anything."
More than 10 businesses were damaged by the explosion after the derailment.
No one was injured, except the truck driver, John Alban.
