Author Topic: PATCO Fire (Read 4791 times)

WadeJ · « **on:** August 15, 2006, 10:23:38 PM »

For those that know me well, you know that I take PATCO every day to work in Philly. Well today turned into hell real fast. The car I was standing in burst into flames just after we entered the tunnel in Camden near City Hall. I managed to escape to the very last car but ended up being trapped in the last car for over 30 minutes with thick smoke. I'll elaborate on a personal level when I talk to you guys but let me just say that what you hear on the news is FAR from the truth. (like why was our car stopped on the middle transfer rail underground? very odd......)

Anyway, I'm home from the ER now and I'm fine minus the burning throat and coughing. Well, that and having the living crap scared out of me.

I also wanted to make mention that I'm fine because I've already seen myself being helped by EMT's on the news and didn't want to worry anybody if you noticed me. (YAY! I didn't end up on the cutting room floor this time!)

Also, treat everyday as something special because you never know when something like this might happen.

-Wade

GADVwow · « **Reply #1 on:** August 15, 2006, 10:30:50 PM »

I, along with many others, am VERY glad you are okay.

Thanks for letting us know.

overlord · « **Reply #2 on:** August 15, 2006, 10:44:42 PM »

Heres to a quick recovery Wade from your sustained injuries. It was very fortunate it didnt turn into a tragedy.

ChuckR · « **Reply #3 on:** August 15, 2006, 11:39:37 PM »

Glad your alright Wade. Geez, just shows you never know what can happen at any given moment.

Bubba Z · « **Reply #4 on:** August 16, 2006, 12:13:11 AM »

Did everybody walk away from this accident? Was the girl from Final Destination 3 on your train? In all seriousness, I'm glad you are OK and home with your family!!

On a side note: I could always be your personal chauffeur and drive to you to work for a small fee.

rjholla2003 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 16, 2006, 02:02:28 AM »

Wow. I didn't hear about this since I was out all day, but I'm glad to hear you're ok.

Also, steal the spotlight while you can.

David Jr · « **Reply #6 on:** August 16, 2006, 05:13:46 AM »

Glad you're okay.

Sounds like some scriptwriter just got the story for Final Destination 4

.

coastermom · « **Reply #7 on:** August 16, 2006, 08:45:54 AM »

hey Wade glad to hear you are OK. Hope you take a few days to stay home and recover . Enjoy those cute little boys you got there .

WadeJ · « **Reply #8 on:** August 16, 2006, 08:49:38 AM »

Thanks guys - I'm fine really. Its mostly the scratchy throat and coughing but they gave me this inhaler thing for that and its helping. Otherwise, flying around the curve going into a tunnel at full speed with the train rocking hard throwing us around with the lights going and and sparks and flames flying everywhere will most likely give me nightmares for a few days. So yes, i'm taking a few days lol.

Found a article that quotes my co-worker that I as riding with (Kevan Gould). Again, not very accurate, the front of the train was NOWHERE near the train station as the PATCO PR person claims. http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200660815042

Really though, I'm fine. Just shaken up and hugging my kids a lot

Bubba Z · « **Reply #9 on:** August 16, 2006, 08:49:56 AM »

Found the story , but sadly no pictures of you

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060816/NEWS01/608160361

WadeJ · « **Reply #10 on:** August 16, 2006, 09:05:19 AM »

Ah, finally found out why - http://cbs3.com/topstories/local_story_227182440.html The video says another train was stopped at the station at City Hall going the other way.

I'm in the web extra video lol

DianaR · « **Reply #11 on:** August 16, 2006, 10:11:15 AM »

Glad your Ok my friend! Sorry you had such a bad ordeal

I have a customer that was on that Princess Cruise Ship that capsized last month, she is pretty traumatized from that. I can only imagine how shook up you were/are.

PcMan · « **Reply #12 on:** August 16, 2006, 02:07:21 PM »

Wow I seen the news report on TV but really didn't notice you but wasn't looking either.
THey made it out to not be to bad but from what you wrote above its sounds pretty scary.
Hope all is well

WadeJ · « **Reply #13 on:** August 16, 2006, 03:42:41 PM »

heh, well my wife was in the ER waiting room because they wouldn't let people into the actual ER. She is sitting there watching the news and sees me coming up the stairs and then on the sidewalk being given oxygen lol. This was like 15 minutes after it was taped because Cooper was only 5 minutes away.

Its amazing to me how well PATCO swept this under the rug. I guess thats what they have to do though to keep peoples confidence up in the public transportation system. It would sorta be like never knowing what "really" happened to Robin Chiller.

With that said, PATCO seriously needs a new PR person. She could have easily said "we know nothing at this time" instead of saying blatent lies or incorrect info.

I'm curious if any of our group of 40-50 that were trapped in the last car behind the burning car (which was 2nd to last) will ever speak up. Every interview I've seen or read were from those toward the front of the train who really didn't experience anything besides a smokey exit to the station. We had 3 explosions with real pretty fireballs, massive amounts of smoke, TOTAL chaos, and a very turbulent stop (presumably because the e-brake was pulled when the power cut out). Our car was also still on the curve when the brakes were hit while the rest of the train was then going straight.

These firefighters prevented a near disaster from occurring and I will be forever grateful for them. If not for their quick response in putting out the actual fire, I really think there would have been fatalities. As it was, we were only minutes from many passing out from smoke inhalation. 3 attempts at running like hell through the burning car to escape resulted in getting trapped and turning around to run back to the last car. Each time we were letting smoke fill the only safe place we had because the door was left open as we tried running through. To top it off, the door on the very end of the car was locked so running out the back was not a option. Kicking out the windows was thought of but we couldn't tell if the tunnel was worse than our car. Plus, it would have been nearly a 10ft. jump onto the ajacent tracks in the pitch black. I can't begin to tell you the feeling of joy when firefighters got into our car and pryed open the side doors to lower us down to get out

. Now that I can sorta talk about it I'm somewhat disappointed that I avoided the media when leaving the ER because I lost to chance to say what "really" happened lol.

PcMan · « **Reply #14 on:** August 16, 2006, 03:55:35 PM »

You all could have died.
Smoke is the leading cause of deaf in a fire.
No emergency lights came on ? (this could be a major public safety issue)
I'm not sure but I think I heard about a problem with the third rail shorting out which caused the sparks/fire ?

WadeJ · « **Reply #15 on:** August 16, 2006, 06:54:23 PM »

We had minimal emergency lighting IN the train cars. You could tell it was battery powered and there were maybe 6 lights that were mounting inside of the regular light housings. By the end of my 30+ minutes in the train these lights were nearly out as the batteries died down.

The tunnel had zero lighting towards the back of the train where we were. It was pitch black jumping off minus the flashlights the firemen had. They put a few of the larger flashlights on the ground to try lighting a path for us which was a lucky thing with the number of pits, wholes, changes in elevation, massive cables, etc.

btw- they actually admitted what happened. Even though they still haven't spoken about how bad the situation was or could have been. They were lucky and so were we

http://www.drpa.org/patco/patco_emergency.html

Ogolo · « **Reply #16 on:** August 16, 2006, 10:07:24 PM »

Wow! That isn't the kind of excitement anyone needs in a day.
I'm am very happy to hear that you and everone else survived this event.
I've had my share of close calls and know exactly how you are feeling right now.
It really makes you look at things in a different way. And you keep think what if...

WadeJ · « **Reply #17 on:** September 06, 2006, 07:30:28 PM »

As pcman noted in the shoutbox - CBS3 Eyewitness news at 11 is airing a special investigation into what "really" happened that day on car #5. As I had mentioned on these 2 pages, NOTHING on TV came remotely close to telling the real story so I'm really anxious to hear what they have to say. Hopefully it isn't just another look at what happened and they actually uncover something because PATCO nearly killed 35-45 people.

No, I will not be on TV this time LOL

Bubba Z · « **Reply #18 on:** September 07, 2006, 03:47:19 AM »

^ Didn't they say that a maintenance chain came loose from the car. It then touched the dreaded third rail which caused the spark and fire ?

Dubya91 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 07, 2006, 07:38:18 AM »

Glad to hear your safe, It sounds like a typical day on the New York City Subway System, minus the evacuation

WadeJ · « **Reply #20 on:** September 07, 2006, 08:53:21 AM »

Quote from: Bubba Z on September 07, 2006, 03:47:19 AM

^ Didn't they say that a maintenance chain came loose from the car. It then touched the dreaded third rail which caused the spark and fire ?

Yeah, but they continue to hide the fact that they nearly killed 30 people in the last car because we were trapped. I'm a little bummed that CBS3 backed off that part of the story though. I have a feeling they are relucatant without proof or more people coming forward. I have a feeling that more will come forward now that this aired though.

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Author Topic: PATCO Fire (Read 4791 times)