East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment
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2023 Ohio train derailment | |
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![]() Drone image of the accident scene by the National Transportation Safety Board | |
Details | |
Date | February 3, 2023 8:55 p.m. EST (UTC-5) |
Location | East Palestine, Ohio |
Coordinates | 40°50′10″N 80°31′22″W / 40.8360°N 80.5227°W |
Country | United States |
Operator | Norfolk Southern |
Incident type | Derailment |
Cause | Mechanical failure |
Statistics | |
Trains | 1 |
Deaths | 0 |
The 2023 Ohio train derailment was an accident that occurred on February 3, 2023 in East Palestine, Ohio, United States.[1] A freight train carrying vinyl chloride derailed and exploded. On February 6, emergency crews conducted a controlled burn of the spill,[2] which released hydrogen chloride and phosgene into the air.[1] As a result, residents within a 1 mi (1.6 km) radius were evacuated, and an emergency response from agencies across three states was initiated.
Background
The derailed train was the Norfolk Southern freight train,[3] which consisted of three locomotives, nine empty cars, and 141 loaded cars.[4] The train was operating from the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis yard in Madison, Illinois, to Norfolk Southern's Conway Yard in Conway, Pennsylvania.
The train was not equipped with electronically controlled pneumatic brakes, which a former Federal Railroad Administration official claimed would have mitigated the severity of the accident.[5] In 2017, Norfolk Southern successfully lobbied the Trump administration to repeal the regulations requiring the use of such brakes on trains carrying hazardous materials.[5]
Derailment
Around 8:55 pm local time on February 3, 2023, approximately 50 cars derailed in East Palestine, a small village near the Ohio–Pennsylvania border with a population of 4,800 residents. Out of the 141 cars on the train, 20 were carrying hazardous materials, with 14 of them carrying vinyl chloride.[6] Other chemicals present included butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, isobutylene, combustible liquids, and benzene residue.[7][8][9]
About 48 hours later, the National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary findings indicating that the derailment was caused by a mechanical issue on one of the railscars' trucks,[10] which may be connected to reports that an axle was observed throwing sparks about an hour before.[11]
Emergency response
Nearly 70 emergency agencies from Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania mobilized in response.[12] East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway declared a state of emergency.[6]
Norfolk Southern personnel were first to respond on February 3.[citation needed] On February 4, they noticed water spillage into Sulphur Run and Leslie Run and installed booms and underflow dams to separate the floating pollutant. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) began monitoring air quality on February 3. According to the U.S. EPA, humans can smell butyl acrylate at a concentration lower than the screening level.[13]
On February 5, due to a temperature change in one of the train cars, fears of an explosion with the potential of dispersing deadly shrapnel rose as the fires continued to burn.[14] Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ordered the mandatory evacuation of all residents within a one-mile radius and activated the Ohio National Guard to assist local authorities.[14] DeWine said, "This is a matter of life and death."[15] Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro ordered an evacuation in areas of Beaver County which bordered the site.[12] Officials in both states went door-to-door to evacuate residents.[16] The fire from the accident burned until February 5.[13]
On February 6, in an effort to prevent further explosions, Norfolk Southern emergency crews conducted a controlled release and burn of five tanks of vinyl chloride into the air.[17] The burn caused black clouds to form above the area and released phosgene and hydrogen chloride into the air.[8] Although officials reported that air quality readings were not showing anything concerning,[18] residents in nearby Mahoning and Trumbull counties reported a chemical smell in their areas. Officials in the Youngstown region advised residents to stay indoors.[19] Air monitoring conducted on February 7–8 revealed an increase in volatile organic compounds in the air below the screening level and an increase in particulate matter, probably from the soot.[13]
On February 8, both the Ohio and U.S. EPA noticed oily spillage onto local soil and notified Norfolk Southern. The company began removing the spill with a vacuum truck.[13]
The evacuation was lifted on February 9 after the U.S. EPA reported that the air inside and outside the evacuation zone had returned to normal levels.[20] Although toxins were detected at the derailment site, they were not detected outside the area. The Ohio EPA also reported that drinking water (sourced from different waterways) was safe. In a testing report from February 8, the Ohio EPA showed to WKBN that vinyl chloride, benzene, some chlorinated organic compounds, and other VOCs were not detected in the water.[21]
Since February 9, the U.S. EPA had been assisting Norfolk Southern and the Columbiana Emergency Management Agency with indoor air testing. As of February 12, all 210 homes tested for vinyl chloride and hydrogen chloride have tested negative.[13]
Impact and reactions
The train derailment reignited a national discussion about industry working conditions and safety concerns, such as the lack of modern brake safety regulations,[5] the implementation of precision scheduled railroading (PSR),[22] reduced railway workers per train, and increased train lengths and weight. Critics have pointed out that train companies have failed to invest in train maintenance to prevent accidents, even though they conduct stock buybacks.[23][24]
Potential health hazards
Numerous[clarification needed] reports circulated of sick children and ill or dead pets and wild animals.[25][26][27] Material from the crash was observed in storm drains and detected in samples from Sulphur Run, Leslie Run, Bull Creek, North Fork Little Beaver Creek, Little Beaver Creek and the Ohio River. An oily product was seen seeping into the soil and emergency response staff observed impacts[clarification needed] on aquatic life.[17][13]
Neil Donahue, a chemistry professor at Carnegie Mellon University, expressed concern about the potential production of dioxins during the burning of vinyl chloride, while Lynn Goldman, dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health, worried more about residual vinyl chloride. Gaseous pollutants dissipate quickly in the air, but dioxins are persistent.[28]
Arrest of reporter
On February 8, during a newscast in a gymnasium behind the press conference of Governor Mike DeWine, Evan Lambert, a reporter for NewsNation, was approached by two state troopers of the Ohio Highway Patrol and Major General John C. Harris Jr. of the Ohio Adjutant General's Department, who cautioned him about his loudness, leading to a confrontation. Several police intervened, as cell phones and body cameras recorded.[29][30]
Harris told police Lambert approached him aggressively and: "I instinctively put my hands on his chest to keep him from bumping into me, which I felt was inevitable if I had not protected myself." Lambert was asked to leave by a representative of the East Palestine schools. After refusing, he was taken from the gym and arrested.[31][32] He was charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct and released later in the day.[33][34] DeWine said Lambert "had the right to be reporting" and condemned obstruction of the press: "That certainly is wrong and it's not anything that I approve of. In fact, I vehemently disapprove of it."[35]
The Columbiana County prosecutor left the case to the attorney general of Ohio.[36]
Lawsuits
On February 8, three class-action lawsuits were filed against Norfolk Southern Railway by several businesses and residents affected by the incident.[37][38] One asks it to pay for medical screening and treatment for people living within a 30-mile radius of the derailment to determine if the spilled substances have health effects.[39]
See also
- Mississauga train derailment (1979)
- Weyauwega, Wisconsin, derailment (1996)
- Graniteville train crash (2005)
- Lac-Mégantic rail disaster (2013)
- 2022 United States railroad labor dispute
- White Noise, a 2022 fictional film set in Ohio covering a similar topic
References
- ^ a b "Ohio catastrophe is 'wake-up call' to dangers of deadly train derailments". The Guardian. February 11, 2023. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ "Crews release toxic chemicals from derailed tankers in Ohio". AP NEWS. February 6, 2023. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
- ^ Hauser, Christine (February 13, 2023). "What We Know About the Train Derailment in Ohio". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
- ^ Jennifer Rodriguez (February 6, 2023). "What caused the derailment". wkbn.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
During the presser, Graham said the train was carrying 141 load cars, nine empty cars and three locomotives, which are used to pull the train.
- ^ a b c Sirota, David; Rock, Julia; Burns, Rebecca; Cunningham-Cook, Matthew (February 9, 2023). "Rail Companies Blocked Safety Rules Before Ohio Derailment". The Lever. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
- ^ a b "50-car train derailment sparks massive fire, mandatory evacuation order in Ohio". ABC7 San Francisco. February 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ "Norfolk Southern releases list of chemicals carried by derailed train". www.wfmj.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ a b "Dead animals and reports of sickness as ecological disaster unfolds after Ohio toxic train derailment". Independent. February 13, 2023. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ "3 additional chemicals discovered on East Palestine train derailment". WKBN.com. February 13, 2023. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ "NTSB confirms rail car axle issue caused Norfolk Southern train derailment". www.wfmj.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ Mokay, Erica (February 10, 2023). "Video shows sparks and flames 20 miles before train derailment in East Palestine". CBS Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
- ^ a b "East Palestine Train Derailment: Evacuation order lifted as officials say air and water samples show it's safe". CBSNews.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f "Site Profile - East Palestine Train Derailment - EPA OSC Response". response.epa.gov. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ a b "Controlled chemical release scheduled to prevent explosion in the wake of Ohio train derailment". NBC News. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ "Slowly releasing chemicals from the derailed train in Ohio could prevent an explosion". 90.5 WESA. February 6, 2023. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ "Evacuation order lifted in East Palestine". February 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ a b Schwer, Donald R. (February 10, 2023). "Norfolk Southern East Palestine Train Derailment General Notice Letter 2.10.2023.pdf" (PDF). U.S. EPA. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
- ^ "Crews release toxic chemicals from derailed tankers in Ohio". AP NEWS. February 6, 2023. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ "'Shelter in place': Officials advising Valley residents stay indoors". February 7, 2023. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ "Air near Ohio derailment safe for residents to return home". AP NEWS. February 8, 2023. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
- ^ "East Palestine water quality testing continues". WKBN.com. February 11, 2023. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
- ^ Johnson, Jake (February 7, 2023). "Rail Workers Blame Fiery Train Crash in Ohio on Wall Street Profit-Seeking". www.commondreams.org. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
using PSR, railroad management's job is to drive down the 'operating ratio,' or operating expenses as a percentage of revenue.
- ^ "Press Release: Fiery Ohio Train Wreck the Result of 'PSR'". Railroad Workers United. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ ""Bomb Train" in Ohio Sickens Residents After Railroad Cutbacks, Corporate Greed Led to Toxic Disaster". Democracy Now!. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
- ^ "A horrific environmental disaster is happening in Ohio, and you may not even have heard about it". February 10, 2023. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ "Health concerns mounting as animals become sick after train derailment". WKBN.com. February 9, 2023. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ "Wary residents return home after toxic train derailment". AP NEWS. February 9, 2023. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ "Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern". AP NEWS. February 8, 2023. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ "Body camera video reveals moments leading up to viral arrest of NewsNation reporter at East Palestine briefing". wkyc.com. February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ East Palestine police: Ohio Adjutant General felt threatened by reporter before viral presser arrest, retrieved February 10, 2023
- ^ Medina, Eduardo (February 9, 2023). "Reporter Arrested While Covering News Conference in Ohio". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ NewsNation reporter arrested during Ohio news conference, retrieved February 9, 2023
- ^ Blanchet, Ben (February 9, 2023). "NewsNation Reporter Arrested At Ohio Governor's Press Conference". HuffPost. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ Lambert: 'No journalist expects to be arrested when you're doing your job' | Banfield, retrieved February 9, 2023
- ^ Geary, Claire (February 8, 2023). "NewsNation reporter arrested during Gov. Mike DeWine's press conference in East Palestine". WEWS-TV. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ "Ohio AG Dave Yost's office to handle case of reporter arrested at DeWine news conference". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
- ^ "Class action lawsuits filed against Norfolk Southern for East Palestine derailment". WKBN.com. February 8, 2023. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ "Class action lawsuit filed in train derailment, controlled chemical release in East Palestine". WPXI. February 9, 2023. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ "Lawsuit seeks medical testing after East Palestine train derailment". WTAE. February 13, 2023. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.