Return to Transcripts main page
Breaking News
Interview with Capt. Steve Miller, Orange County Fire Authority
Aired April 23, 2002 - 11:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE EDITED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have breaking news out of Southern California, a train collision. Want to bring you the latest. You see live pictures there, courtesy of our affiliate KABC. We have with us on the phone right now Captain Steve Miller with the Orange County Fire Authority. Captain, thanks for joining us.
STEVE MILLER, CAPTAIN, ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY: Yes.
KAGAN: It would appear from the pictures that we are able to watch, these live pictures, that there was a number of injuries on board this commuter train.
MILLER: Yes, and we are still trying to get a handle on exactly how many numbers we have. We have a tremendous amount of what we call walking wounded. We are trying to separate the various casualties into whatever category they fall into, as far as injuries. We really don't have a handle on the entire numbers right now.
KAGAN: Our early information says that this is a Metrolink commuter train that went -- that has collided with a BNSF freight train.
MILLER: Yes, I'm not real familiar with the accident, but just looking at the scene, it does appear that the freight train (AUDIO GAP) with the Metrolink, and that caused that train to derail.
KAGAN: And just -- because we are talking to a national audience, give folks an idea of where this is.
MILLER: Well, we are in Placentia, the city of Placentia in Orange County at the intersections of Bridgefield (ph) and Orangethorpe, that is near the 57 Freeway and 91 Freeway.
KAGAN: Not that far from Disneyland?
MILLER: No, it is not too far.
KAGAN: And the Metrolink, a popular commuter train for folks who are trying to avoid the nasty freeway traffic.
MILLER: Yes, and obviously from the amount of patients we have here, pretty well loaded up at this time also.
KAGAN: And what time, exactly, did this accident take place?
MILLER: We got dispatched at 8:10.
KAGAN: 8:10, so that was about 40 minutes ago?
MILLER: Yes ma'am.
KAGAN: And your biggest challenge right now -- is everybody out of the train, or is that -- we are watching, it seems like rescuers are still trying to go in there and take more people out.
MILLER: Yes, we still have people that are not necessarily trapped, but incapacitated inside the train that we are trying to get out at this time. As a matter of fact, there is one coming out right now.
KAGAN: And what about the severity of the injuries? You said walking wounded, what about more severe than that?
MILLER: Well, most of the injuries I'm seeing are minor and maybe some mild, but I do know we had one patient that they were performing CPR on, and so again, I don't have a complete number on all the casualties we have at this time.
KAGAN: All right. Well, you have given us more information than we had before we had the chance to talk with you. Captain Steve Miller from the Orange County Fire Authority. Once again, this is a train collision that we are watching live pictures from. Placentia, California, Orange County, Southern California, a commuter -- a Metrolink commuter train into a BNSF freight train. We will continue to work the story and bring you more pictures and more information.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
