Md. Woman Recounts Terrifying Moments Inside Smoke-Filled DC Metro
BALTIMORE, Md. (WJZ)-- In WJZ exclusive, a Maryland woman who was on a D.C. Metro train when it filled with smoke last month, describes the terrifying moments she spent trapped underground waiting to be rescued.
She told Marcus Washington she feared for her life.
Just before rush hour, chaos erupted on the D.C. Metro.
An electrical fire ignited inside a tunnel near downtown D.C. sending smoke billowing into a train filled with passengers.
"Everybody was just coughing, choking," said Dennean Baker, who was on the train.
Dennean Baker, a grandmother from Montgomery County, was on that train.
Marcus: "With the smoke in there, are people screaming?"
"You couldn't see anything. It was that thick of a smoke. One passenger tried to open the door because he wanted to get out. As soon as you open the door, more smoke comes in. So everyone is hollering, close the door! Close the door!" explained Dennean.
Panicked passengers reached for cell phones without signals, desperately trying to call for help.
Struggling to breath, passengers laid on the floor gasping for air.
"Everybody's trying to cover their mouth up with whatever they had," said Dennean.
Marcus: "Did you ever feel that this could have been a terror attack?"
Dennean: "I thought it could have been because where did all this smoke come from and why are they not down here trying to rescue us."
Investigators revealed it took crews 45 minutes to get to passengers.
Recent upgrades to fire department radios delayed communication with Metro.
"I was praying," said Dennean.
The investigation also revealed exhaust fans on the train were pulling more smoke inside the car—killing 61-year-old Carol Glover.
"I just keep remembering the lady when they were carrying her over their shoulder—that's all I kept seeing and then to find out she's dead…"
Marcus: "You know that could have been you…"
Dennean: "There could have been more deaths on that train than just one."
Dennean told WJZ she is still haunted by what she saw.
"Seeing other people—vomiting on the floor, coughing, black stuff all over their face. It was just too scary—too scary," said Dennean.
Dennean and dozens of others are now suing Metro for their terrifying ordeal.
"Everyone needs to be accountable for everything," said Dennean.
Dennean, who rode the train every day to work, said she'll never ride it again.
"Why did it take 45 minutes to get down to rescue us—why?" said Dennean.
D.C. Metro is cooperating with the N.T.S.B. investigation.
It handed over more than 370 hours of surveillance video and 4,000 pages of documents.
Investigators are still trying to figure out what triggered the electrical malfunction that caused the fire.
