Transcript: 911 Call Immediately After Tour Bus Crash On I-5 In Orland

The CHP has released several tapes of the frantic calls to 9-1-1 right after the tragic crash between a tour bus full of students and a FedEx truck on I-5, near Orland. Ten people died in the crash.

Listen to Full 911 Audio from the Orland Crash:

 

Excerpts From Transcripts

Tape 1
CALLER: Well, there's someone coming out. It looks like a huge wreck.
And there's a bus just exploded
CALLER: Yes, there was just an accident on I-5
It just exploded. Whatever was on the freeway is on fire.
I'm running over to see what it is.

Tape 2
CALLER: I'd like to report an accident?
DISPATCHER: Is this Southbound 5, just south of …7?
Yeah… we're on our way.

Tape 3
DISPATCHER : 911 emergency what are you reporting?
CALLER: It's right here by Date Street
DISPATCHER: Where?
CALLER: In town, by date street it was by I-5 There's like a lot of fire. There's gonna be an explosion
DISPATCHER: I know there was an explosion, was it on the freeway?
DISPATCHER: It was on the freeway.
CALLER: Oh (expletive) did you hear that?

Tape 4:
CALLER: "I was in a car accident. I was in a travel bus and we crashed into a fedex truck…"
DISPATCHER: Is this on southbound i-5?
CALLER: I don't know where we are.
DISPATCHER: We have medical help coming your way okay?
CALLER: Okay... we were in a bus. Like a travel bus.
DISPATCHER: Where were you coming from and to?
CALLER:...we were coming from LA and we're going to Humboldt university to Orland…
DISPATCHER: How many people were on the bus
CALLER: There were 43 people and students… and uh three chaperones and the bus driver. That's all we know.

Tape 5:
DISPATCHER: Are you still on the bus or off the bus at this point?
CALLER: "Everyone is off the bus, the bus is on fire."
DISPATCHER: I understand that, but are you away from it?
CALLER: Yeah we are getting away from the bus actually.
DISPATCHER: Okay, go as far away as you can safely get. Okay?
CALLER: okay ... Audible crying…

Tape 6:
DISPATCHER: What did the bus hit?
CALLER: It hit…crying… I guess on the left side…it hit …
DISPATCHER: What did the bus hit.
CALLER: The bus hit the FedEx truck. But the FedEx truck hit into us.
DISPATCHER: Was it head on?
CALLER: Yeah head on.
DISPATCHER: Are both the lanes blocked I assume?
CALLER: No it's only one side of…uh….uh…(crying)…I don't.. uh… I don't…(crying)
(NOTABLY FLUSTERED AND CONFUSED!!!)

Tape 7:
CALLER: I need to report an accident between a semi and a tour bus... we have massive fire and we have all kinds of students out on the highway right now. From the tour bus.

Tape 9:
CALLER: I Just saw a FedEx bus go across the median and crash…

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.