Confusion sets in as callers try to make sense of a July 4th train derailment on Shermer Road in Glenview that killed a couple who happened to be driving under the bridge.
The five 911 calls reporting a deadly Fourth of July train derailment have been released by Glenview police.
It took the caller a moment to call what he witnessed a train derailment, initially thinking he was reporting a structure or car fire.
"...Actually, I think it was a train derailment or something's happened over here," the caller said. "It's completely black."
Authorities also did not know the full extent of the damage done by the derailment at first. A car with two bodies inside was not found until the day after the accident.
"It's blocked Shermer completely," he said. "It fell off the viaduct. It looks like the bridge collapsed or a train fell off the bridge."
One caller noted that they "couldn't see south of Willow," while another said, "all the cars are sticking up."
A woman also heard in one of the calls painted a more vivid scene.
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"It looks like it melted or something," she said.
