In early February, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in eastern Ohio and ignited a fire that blanketed the city of East Palestine in smoke. Fearing a large explosion, the authorities cut off an evacuation zone and carried out a controlled emission of toxic fumes to neutralize the burning cargo inside some train cars.
Residents feared for their health as concerns grew about the effect the derailment and fire could have on the environment and transport network.
This is what we know.
What happened?
Around 9 p.m. on Feb. 3, a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, a town of about 4,700 about 50 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. About 50 of the train’s 150 cars derailed on its route from Madison, Illinois, to Conway, Pennsylvania. The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the cause of the derailment.
The train, operated by Norfolk Southern, had been carrying chemicals and combustible materials, with vinyl chloride, a toxic flammable gas, the biggest concern for investigators. A large fire erupted from the derailment, sending thick smoke into the sky and over the city. Residents on both sides of the Ohio-Pennsylvania border were ordered to evacuate as Ohio Governor Mike DeWine raised the alarm about a possible explosion.
Local and federal officials launched an investigation involving the NTSB and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Has there been damage to the environment?
The derailment has raised concerns about air, soil and water pollution.
On Feb. 10, the EPA said about 20 rail cars were reported to be carrying hazardous materials. The EPA said the chemicals, including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ethers “have been known and continue to be” released into the air, surface soil and surface water.
On February 12, the EPA, after monitoring the air, said it had detected no pollutants at “levels of concern” in and around East Palestine, although residents may still smell odors. Working with Norfolk Southern and the Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency, the EPA had monitored the air inside about 290 homes through Feb. 13 and said it had detected no vinyl chloride or d ‘hydrogen, which could cause life-threatening respiratory problems.
As of Feb. 13, an additional 181 households were still awaiting screening, the agency said.
Fearing an explosion, authorities conducted a controlled release of toxic materials from five tank cars on February 6, and the contents were diverted to a ditch and burned.
Precautionary measures were being taken across the wider region, particularly in states that use water from the Ohio River.
The West Virginia subsidiary of American Water, which provides water services to 24 states, said on February 12 that it had not detected any change in the water at its Ohio River dam. Still, the company installed a secondary dam on the Guyandotte River in case an alternate source was needed. The subsidiary, which serves more than half a million people, said it also improved its treatment processes.
The Evansville Water and Sewer Utility in Indiana, which draws water from the Ohio River for its treatment plant, was also monitoring and testing the waterway.
“There is little chance that we will detect contamination from this spill at our site because our structure is about 700 river miles away from the spill,” said Ella Johnson-Watson, a company spokeswoman. “In the event of a detection near us, EWSU will use carbon to absorb the contamination.”
Residents were evacuated and face uncertainty.
Just after the derailment, between 1,500 and 2,000 residents in East Palestine were asked to evacuate the area. Schools were closed for the week, along with some roads. Norfolk Southern said it had donated $25,000 to help the American Red Cross set up shelters and deal with the influx of people.
On February 6, Mr. DeWine expanded the evacuation order to include anyone in a 1-by-2-mile zone surrounding East Palestine, including parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania.
On February 8, the governor’s office announced that residents were allowed to return home after air quality samples measured pollutants below levels of concern. The East Palestine Water Treatment Plant said it had seen no adverse effects. Norfolk Southern said in a statement that its own experts and contractors were testing water from private wells, although homeowners were encouraged to use bottled water.
Norfolk Southern said Feb. 14 that it had also provided more than $1.2 million in reimbursements and cash advances to families to help cover evacuation costs for lodging, travel, food, clothing and other articles
There have been no reports of injuries or deaths from the derailment, but many are questioning how safe the area is. On social media and in the news, some residents said fish and frogs were dying in local streams. People shared pictures of dead animals or said they could smell chemicals around town. The arrest of a journalist during a news conference about the derailment sparked online criticism of the law enforcement response.
Residents of the area have complained of headaches and discomfort since the derailment. A federal lawsuit filed by two Pennsylvania residents seeks to compel Norfolk Southern to establish health screening for residents of both states, The Associated Press reported, and to pay for related care for those within a 30-mile radius.
How long will it take to get back to normal?
Ten days after the derailment, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, said in a statement on Twitter that it was a “complex environmental disaster” that would require a long-term study.
“Many unanswered questions remain about the quality of the braking system used, the durability of train repair parts and the Department of Transportation’s regulatory approach to our nation’s rail system,” he said.
In 2017, regulations requiring upgrades to the braking system of trains carrying hazardous materials were withdrawn.
The EPA informed Norfolk Southern on Feb. 10 that it could be responsible for costs associated with cleaning up the site. The agency did not provide details on when the site could be considered fully back to normal.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is working on a two-stage cleanup, starting with the removal of materials from the site before moving on to an assessment for a remediation plan, a spokesman said.
“Once the emergency phase of the operation is complete, long-term remedial work would begin,” Ohio EPA media relations manager James Lee said in an email.
Emily Schmall provide reports
