News on the Go: Dec. 5, 2013

Carrie Blazina

Calls to 911 during last year’s Newtown school shooting released Wednesday revealed that several people called the emergency services and begged dispatchers to send help. A teacher, a janitor and a woman in the building all called 911, where a dispatcher told them to keep calm and take cover. A report released last week said it took four minutes for dispatchers to send ambulances to the school, where gunman Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children and six teachers last December.

Federal railroad officials said in a letter Wednesday they were seriously concerned about the Metropolitan Transportation Authority after Sunday’s train accident that killed four people. The letter says “immediate corrective action is imperative,” and the officials are working with the MTA and Metro-North Railroad to probe the accident and the groups’ safety procedures. The engineer said Tuesday he thought he had gone into a daze just prior to the accident, which injured 60 people.

An autopsy Wednesday concluded that actor Paul Walker was killed in a car crash Sunday by both the accident’s impact and the car’s catching on fire. Additionally, Universal Pictures said Wednesday it was shutting down production indefinitely on “The Fast and the Furious 7,” which, like all but one of the previous installments, would have starred Walker. Sheriff’s officials have said speed was a factor in the deadly car crash.

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was fined $100,000 Wednesday for interfering with a play against the Baltimore Ravens last week. The incident also could cost the Steelers a draft pick next year, if NFL officials so choose, “because the conduct affected a play on the field.” Tomlin was standing on the sideline in the Nov. 28 game when he veered dangerously close to a Ravens player running down the field; the coach said Tuesday he did not intend to interfere with the play.

Contact Carrie Blazina at [email protected].