Eyewitness account of Metra accident from my mom: ‘I had to jump out the window’

Eyewitness account of Metra accident from my mom: ‘I had to jump out the window’
Eyewitness account of Metra accident from my mom: ‘I had to jump out the window’

Eyewitness account of Metra accident from my mom: ‘I had to jump out the window’

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I will be honest: When I am at work, I rarely answer my phone. Especially if I am writing and it’s friends or family. But even though I was in mid-sentence, I picked up a call from my mom. What I heard was a shaken voice on the other line telling me that she was in a train accident. I had just seen the story cross the wire that a Metra train had collided with a truck right outside of Mt. Prospect. She told me she was okay, but then told me her horrific story of being in the second train car as it was enveloped in flames. Panic ensued, a man kicked out a window and the passengers, including my Mom, jumped.

The Tribune has an eyewitness photo from the train:

(Jennifer Kimball photo)

I quickly asked the City Room if they wanted her story for the newscasts and jumped in a studio to record this conversation: