NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — 911 calls that came in on the night of February 23rd when a massive portion of land slid down onto I-24E have been released.
On that Saturday night, after record rainfall in Tennessee, many traveling toward Nashville were in the wrong place at the wrong time when a landslide occurred. Many cars were hit by debris and even wrecked their vehicles during the event.
The two calls that have been released detail the what happened as massive amounts of mud, dirt, trees, and rocks fell onto the highway while drivers did everything they could to avoid being struck.
In the first call, the woman on the phone tells the 911 operator that a large tree came down in front of her car. She is traveling with two children, saying that everyone is safe but that they need help as soon as possible.
During the second call, the woman speaking says they just missed being hit by the landslide but that many vehicles that were behind the car she was in were not so lucky. She detailed hearing the cars crashing as she and the other passengers in her vehicle barely missed being part of the catastrophe themselves.
Listen to the full 911 calls above.
TDOT also released new details about the progress they're making on I-24. According to officials, they've removed more than 25,000 tons of rock from the landslide site, and if everything goes according to plan and the weather cooperates, they plan to open I-24 by next Friday.
While the roadway will be open, they will continue work on the side of the road for an expected 2-3 months, so because of that, traffic patterns will be changed slightly, and the speed limit will be reduced in the area.
READ MORE:
Multiple drivers hit by debris in I-24 landslide
Portion of I-24 Eastbound closed for at least a week after landslide
