On Monday afternoon, authorities in northeastern Ohio responded to reports of derailed tanker cars transporting dangerous commodities by releasing toxic gases into the air.
Vinyl chloride is a colorless molecule that is a human carcinogen and can be deadly if inhaled, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) warned in a statement on Tuesday. This “managed release” “involves the burning of the train cars’ chemicals.”
A massive explosion caused by Friday’s train crash had the potential to send shrapnel flying for up to a mile, prompting evacuations in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Nearly 5,000 people in East Palestine, Ohio, a community on the eastern fringe of the state, were ordered to leave a square mile around the derailment site or risk arrest.
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Officials have warned that being exposed to the discharged compounds could result in burns, lung damage, or even death. Even though law police had been working to clear the area before the controlled release, DeWine indicated that most individuals had already fled.
“Depending on the exact amount of material currently inside the rail cars, the railroad estimates that the controlled release of chemicals could burn for [one to three] hours,” DeWine said. “It is unknown when residents will be able to return to their homes but an announcement will be made when it is safe to return.”
On Tuesday, local media reported hearing a loud boom just before a plume of black smoke erupted from the raging fire below. The National Weather Service satellite in Cleveland detected the plume because of its density.
A Norfolk Southern train carrying 141 cars derailed at around 9 p.m. on Friday, setting the area on fire. There were at least five tanker cars carrying dangerous chemicals that made it impossible for firemen to put out the blaze in a safe manner.
National Transportation Safety Board member Michael Graham stated on Sunday that the derailment was likely caused by mechanical problems with one of the train car’s axles.
Graham also mentioned the train’s mechanical issues can be seen in the footage. The train’s crew claims an alarm signaling a possible technical fault sounded right before the train derailed. The train was proceeding normally until an emergency brake went off, and the conductor and his crew pulled the emergency brake. There were reportedly no injuries.
The EPA has said it is keeping an eye on the potential release of chemicals from the wreckage. These chemicals include phosgene, which was used as a chemical weapon during World War I and is now used to make pesticides, and vinyl chloride.
Which is used to make the plastic used to coat wires, cables, and automobile parts. The government is also keeping an eye out for combustion byproducts that may cause irritation to the skin or respiratory system, such as hydrochloric acid.
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East Palestinians’ worries about chemical contamination of their water and food sources have grown. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, many locals have complained of a foul odor and expressed concern that chemicals might have made their way into the water supply.
With the derailment situated where it is, the Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency deemed it “improbable” that any toxins would leak into local water supplies. In addition to maintaining its air quality monitoring network, the EPA will also sample water from Sulphur Run, a nearby stream.
Although authorities have not yet established a timeline for cleaning up the derailment site, the cars carrying the dangerous substances will be sent to a secure place for additional study. It may be necessary to wait until the area is deemed safe to approach before beginning that process, officials added. Before that time, authorities asked locals to stay away.
“You need to leave, you just need to leave. This is a matter of life and death,” DeWine said at a news conference Monday.
