Former Seaworld employee recounts fatal orca attack

ORLANDO - A former SeaWorld of Orlando employee who was working at the park when a trainer was killed by a 17-foot orca leveled serious charges during an appearance on Good Morning America.

Linda Simons had been on the job as the park's director of health and safety for only a week when trainer Dawn Brancheau was drowned by a killer whale named Tilikum last February.

She was one of dozens of people who responded when the attack occurred. She described the scene as "chaotic."

"Probably about 85 people responded. But I saw very disturbing images that I felt team members were being placed in danger. There were people in high heels. There were people jumping on the gates that separate the pools. I was concerned about that. When they finally got Tilikum in the medical pool and lifted him up, team members were permitted to go into that pool to take dawn out of Tilikum's mouth, as he was still thrashing about," Simons said.

Before she began her employment, Simons said there was a safety drill. She requested the paperwork from that drill. She said it was less than a page long, because, she said, the exercise had gone so badly.

"When you have an exercise, you want to know what went well, what went wrong, what needs to be corrected. They said that was not completed because the drill went so badly, that they were going to run another drill. People did not respond. Those that did respond, did not respond properly," Simons said.

She claims she was fired after only two months at SeaWorld because park officials didn't want her talking with OSHA, which is set to release its report on the incident today.

SeaWorld officials say she was let go because of poor job performance.

"I never received any feedback, verbal or in writing. From the CEO of the corporation on down, I only received positive comments on my response to the OSHA investigation, Simons told GMA.

She said her main concern is forr the safety of those who work around killer whales.

Asked if she thinks another tragedy could occur, Simons said, "I think that if they're put into that close proximity, it could easily happen again."

To see the complete GMA segment, click the video player above.