911 tapes released in train derailment

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (WMAR) - Phone calls to 911 the night of the deadly Howard County train derailment in Ellicott City have been released, and don't indicate that anyone knew the two teens that were killed were even there.

The CSX freight train derailed on August 20, spilling coal that trapped two young gils. Elizabeth Nass and Rose Mayr were sitting on the tracks when the coal cars tipped over, but those who called 911, didn't mention being aware that there were any injured people.

The Medical Examiner ruled the teens' death a result of compressional asphyxia after they were buried in the coal.

The first calls came in just before midnight and several of the callers mentioned that coal was spilling onto the street below.

The first caller reported seeing the accident and told the 911 operator "You have a train derailed on the bridge on Main Street."

The operator then asked "anyone in the train?" But the caller replied saying "well, I don't know. It's a huge train."

The 911 operator asked a different caller if he knew if anyone was involved in the derailment such as a car. He responded "not to my knowledge...I heard it happen, it happened pretty much right in front of me."  

The second call came moments later when the caller stated emphatically that the train "fell off the tracks!" "It looks like a cargo train, and it's sounds like it's leaking, it smells like fuel," he continues.

The next caller reported there was "no smoke, no fire, just coal." When asked about the train operator, he says "it doesn't appear that he got out yet," but didn't think that he was hurt.

None of the callers stated that they knew or saw the two girls were there.

The cause of the derailment is still under investigation.