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East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment

Coordinates: 40°50′10″N 80°31′22″W / 40.8360°N 80.5227°W / 40.8360; -80.5227
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2023 Ohio train derailment
Drone image of the accident scene by the National Transportation Safety Board
Map
Location of the derailment
Details
DateFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
8:55 p.m. EST (UTC-5)
LocationEast Palestine, Ohio
Coordinates40°50′10″N 80°31′22″W / 40.8360°N 80.5227°W / 40.8360; -80.5227
CountryUnited States
OperatorNorfolk Southern
Incident typeDerailment
CauseMechanical failure
Statistics
Trains1
Deaths0

On February 3, 2023, a freight train carrying hazardous chemicals, including vinyl chloride, derailed and exploded in the village of East Palestine, Ohio, United States.[1] The derailed train was Norfolk Southern freight train 32N.[2][unreliable source] It consisted of 141 loaded cars, nine empty cars, and three locomotives, from the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis yard in Madison, Illinois to Norfolk Southern's Conway Yard in Conway, Pennsylvania.[3]

The derailment caused a fire which lasted for several days. On February 6, in order to prevent an explosion, emergency crews managed the fire into a controlled burn which allowed for a monitored, gradual release of burning toxic chemicals. The burn released hydrogen chloride and the highly toxic phosgene into the air.[1] A massive emergency response by agencies from three states began and led to the mandatory evacuation of residents within a 1 mi (1.6 km) radius. No deaths or injuries were reported.

Derailment

About 50 cars derailed around 8:55 pm local time on February 3, 2023 in East Palestine, a town of 4,800 residents near the Ohio–Pennsylvania border. Twenty of the 141 cars were classified as carrying hazardous materials, 14 of which were carrying vinyl chloride.[4] Other chemicals included combustible liquids, butyl acrylate and benzene residue.[5] About 48 hours later, the National Transportation Safety Board said it had preliminary findings that a mechanical problem on an axle of one of the cars led to the derailment.[6]

The trains were not equipped with electronically controlled pneumatic brakes, which a former Federal Railroad Administration official said would have reduced the severity of the accident.[7] In 2017, Norfolk Southern had successfully lobbied to have regulations requiring their use on trains carrying hazardous materials repealed.[7]

Emergency response

Nearly 70 emergency agencies from Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania mobilized in response.[8] East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway declared a state of emergency.[4]

On February 5, as the fires continued to burn, temperature increases raised fears of a "catastrophic tanker failure which could cause an explosion with the potential of deadly shrapnel traveling up to a mile."[9] Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ordered the evacuation of all residents within a one-mile radius and activated the Ohio National Guard to assist local authorities.[9] DeWine said "this is a matter of life and death."[10] Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro ordered an evacuation in areas of Beaver County which bordered the site.[8] Officials in both states began going door-to-door to evacuate residents.[11]

On February 6, emergency crews conducted a controlled release and burn of toxic chemicals into the air to prevent an explosion. The burn released phosgene and hydrogen chloride into the air. Officials said that the air quality readings were not showing anything concerning.[12] Residents in nearby Mahoning and Trumbull counties reported a chemical smell in their areas, and officials in the Youngstown region advised residents to stay indoors.[13]

On February 9, the evacuation was lifted after the US EPA reported that the air inside and outside the evacuation zone was back to normal levels as seen prior to the train derailment.[14] While toxins were detected at the derailment site, outside of the site they were not. The Ohio EPA reported that toxins from the train cars spilled into the waterways, but that drinking water was safe.

Impact and reactions

The train derailment reignited national discussion of industry working conditions and safety issues: lack of modern brake safety rules,[15] precision scheduled railroading (PSR),[16] reduced railway workers per train and increased train lengths and weight. Train companies have been criticized by some for failing to invest in train maintenance meant to prevent accidents, even as those companies conduct stock buybacks.[17]

On February 8, several businesses and residents filed three class action lawsuits against Norfolk Southern Railway.[18][19]

Potential health hazards

Fear and uncertainty persisted in some residents after the area was declared safe, due to risks of long-term exposure to residual hazardous chemicals. Numerous reports circulated of sick children and ill or dead pets and wild animals.[20][21][22]

Experts are additionally concerned with the dioxins possibly produced in the burning of vinyl chloride and residual unburned vinyl chloride. The gaseous pollutants are expected to dissipate quickly in air, but dioxin is persistent.[23]

Arrest of reporter

On February 8, 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 for being "loud" during his report while reporting live in a gymnasium behind the press conference of DeWine. A confrontation ensued between Major General Harris and Lambert. State troopers and other nearby authorities then intervened in an attempt to break the two up, all of which was caught on nearby cell phone and body camera footage.[24][25] Harris later stated to officers that Lambert had approached him in an 'aggressive manner' and that "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 eventually moved out of the gym and then forced to the ground and arrested.[26][27] He was charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct and released later in the day.[28][29] Governor DeWine decried the event by lambasting the actions of authorities stating that Lambert "[h]ad the right to be reporting" and condemned any obstruction from authorities upon the press by asserting "That certainly is wrong and it's not anything that I approve of. In fact, I vehemently disapprove of it."[30]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Ohio catastrophe is 'wake-up call' to dangers of deadly train derailments". The Guardian. February 11, 2023.
  2. ^ "NS Train Symbols – RailroadfanWiki". railroadfan.com.
  3. ^ Jennifer Rodriguez. "What caused the derailment". wkbn.com. 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.
  4. ^ a b "50-car train derailment sparks massive fire, mandatory evacuation order in Ohio". ABC7 San Francisco. February 4, 2023.
  5. ^ "Norfolk Southern releases list of chemicals carried by derailed train". www.wfmj.com.
  6. ^ "NTSB confirms rail car axle issue caused Norfolk Southern train derailment". www.wfmj.com.
  7. ^ a b "Rail Companies Blocked Safety Rules Before Ohio Derailment". The Lever. February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "East Palestine Train Derailment: Evacuation order lifted as officials say air and water samples show it's safe". www.cbsnews.com.
  9. ^ a b "Controlled chemical release scheduled to prevent explosion in wake of Ohio train derailment". NBC News.
  10. ^ "Slowly releasing chemicals from the derailed train in Ohio could prevent an explosion". 90.5 WESA. February 6, 2023.
  11. ^ "Evacuation order lifted in East Palestine". February 4, 2023.
  12. ^ "Crews release toxic chemicals from derailed tankers in Ohio". AP NEWS. February 6, 2023.
  13. ^ "'Shelter in place': Officials advising Valley residents stay indoors". February 7, 2023.
  14. ^ "Air near Ohio derailment safe for residents to return home". AP NEWS. February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  15. ^ "Rail Companies Blocked Safety Rules Before Ohio Derailment". The Lever. February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  16. ^ Johnson, Jake (February 7, 2023). "Rail Workers Blame Fiery Train Crash in Ohio on Wall Street Profit-Seeking". www.commondreams.org. 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.
  17. ^ "Press Release: Fiery Ohio Train Wreck the Result of 'PSR'". Railroad Workers United. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  18. ^ "Class action lawsuits filed against Norfolk Southern for East Palestine derailment". WKBN.com. February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  19. ^ "Class action lawsuit filed in train derailment, controlled chemical release in East Palestine". WPXI. February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  20. ^ "A horrific environmental disaster is happening in Ohio, and you may not even have heard about it". February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  21. ^ "Health concerns mounting as animals become sick after train derailment". WKBN.com. February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  22. ^ "Wary residents return home after toxic train derailment". AP NEWS. February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  23. ^ https://apnews.com/article/rail-accidents-evacuations-ohio-health-climate-and-environment-3f84663f0b97837cc74a8ce9a50ef6c7
  24. ^ "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.
  25. ^ East Palestine police: Ohio Adjutant General felt threatened by reporter before viral presser arrest, retrieved February 10, 2023
  26. ^ Medina, Eduardo (February 9, 2023). "Reporter Arrested While Covering News Conference in Ohio". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  27. ^ NewsNation reporter arrested during Ohio news conference, retrieved February 9, 2023
  28. ^ Blanchet, Ben (February 9, 2023). "NewsNation Reporter Arrested At Ohio Governor's Press Conference". HuffPost. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  29. ^ Lambert: 'No journalist expects to be arrested when you're doing your job' | Banfield, retrieved February 9, 2023
  30. ^ Geary, Claire (February 8, 2023). "NewsNation reporter arrested during Gov. Mike DeWine's press conference in East Palestine". WEWS-TV. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
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