Residents in the Vicinity of an Ohio Train Derailment Report Dead Fish and Chickens, Despite Authorities’ Assurances That It Is Safe to Return

Fearing a major explosion, authorities established an evacuation zone and conducted a controlled release of toxic fumes to neutralize burning cargo inside some of the train cars.

Residents were concerned about their health as concerns grew about the impact of the derailment and fire on the environment and transportation network.

The Train Derailment in Ohio

(Photo : Mike Simons/Getty Images)

At approximately 9 p.m. A train derailed on February 3 in East Palestine, Ohio, a village of about 4,700 people about 50 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, as per The New York Times.

There were 150 cars on the road from Madison, Illinois, to Conway, Pennsylvania.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating, 38 cars derailed and a fire broke out, damaging another 12 cars.

The Norfolk Southern train was carrying chemicals and combustible materials, with vinyl chloride, a toxic flammable gas, being of particular concern to investigators.

The derailment sparked a massive fire, sending thick billowing smoke into the sky and over the town.

Residents on both sides of the Ohio-Pennsylvania border were ordered to evacuate as Ohio Governor Mike DeWine warned of a possible explosion.

"Many questions about the quality of the braking system used, the durability of the repair parts in the trains, and the Transportation Department's regulatory approach to our nation's rail system remain unanswered," he said.

Regulations requiring braking system upgrades for trains transporting hazardous materials were repealed in 2017.

On February 10, the E.P.A. notified Norfolk Southern that it might be liable for cleanup costs at the site

. The agency did not specify when the site would be considered fully operational again.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is working on a two-stage cleanup, beginning with material removal from the site and progressing to an assessment for a remediation plan, according to a spokesman.

Also Read: Ohio Train Derailment Releases Toxic Chemicals in East Palestine: Dead Animals and Sickness Reported

It Affects Many People

Authorities have been telling residents in the East Palestine, Ohio, area for days that it is safe to return home after a 150-car train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed on Feb. 3.

As of Wednesday, the chemical spill caused by the derailment had killed an estimated 3,500 small fish across 712 miles of streams, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

One North Lima resident, more than 10 miles from East Palestine, told WKBN-TV in Youngstown that her five hens and rooster died unexpectedly Tuesday.

Norfolk Southern had burned train cars carrying vinyl chloride, a flammable gas, the day before to avoid an explosion.

Some residents living near the derailment site are concerned that they and their animals will be exposed to chemicals in the air, water, and soil.

Jenna Giannios, 39, a wedding photographer in nearby Boardman, said she's had a cough for a week and a half.

She said she has been drinking bottled water and is hesitant to bathe in water from the bathroom spigot.

"They only evacuated 1 mile from that space, and that's insane to me," she said, coughing the entire time. "I'm concerned about the long-term health consequences. It's just a shamble," via CNBC.

Is It Safe To Return?

The Environmental Protection Agency warned area residents of possible lingering odors following the controlled burn but noted that vinyl chloride byproducts can emit odors at levels lower than what is considered hazardous.

Residents in Ohio were allowed to return home on Wednesday after air quality samples revealed "readings at points below safety screening levels for contaminants of concern."

Air monitoring since the fire's extinguishment has not detected any levels of concern in the community that can be attributed to the incident at this time, according to the EPA, which is in charge of the air quality testing.

In a letter to Norfolk Southern on Friday, the EPA stated that chemicals carried on the train "continue to be released to the air, surface soils, and surface waters."

Related article: Ohio, Pennsylvania Issue Immediate Evacuations Near East Palestine After Derailment of Train Cars With Harmful Chemicals