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Ohio Train: Everything You Need to Know About 'America's Chernobyl'

2023-02-15T18:47:07.358Z


The main responses to the terrible derailment in East Palestine. In early February, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in eastern Ohio , starting a fire that engulfed the city of East Palestine in smoke. Fearing that a large explosion would occur, the authorities marked out an evacuation zone and proceeded to a controlled emission of toxic gases to neutralize the burning load of some wagons. Residents feared for their health, while concern grew over th


In early February,

a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in eastern Ohio

, starting a fire that engulfed the city of East Palestine in smoke.

Fearing that a large explosion would occur, the authorities marked out an evacuation zone

and proceeded to a controlled emission of toxic gases to neutralize the burning load of some wagons.

Residents feared for their health, while concern grew over the effect of the derailment and fire on the environment and the transportation network.

These are some questions about the accident. 

East Palestine.

The town in Ohio where the accident happened.

How worried should Americans be?

It

's been over a week since about 50 freight train cars derailed and wrecked on the outskirts of East Palestine

, near the Pennsylvania border, apparently due to a mechanical problem with the axle of a wagon.

No one was injured in that accident.

But

concerns about air quality and dangerous chemicals aboard the train caused some city residents to leave,

and officials later ordered an evacuation of the immediate area as fears grew of a potential explosion from the wreckage. steaming.

Officials seeking to avoid the danger of a wild explosion chose to

intentionally release and burn vinyl chloride from five of the railcars,

causing flames and black smoke to billow into the sky again.

The shocking scene had people questioning the potential health impacts on residents in the area and beyond, even as authorities maintained they were doing everything possible to protect people.

East Palestine.

The water intake that may be contaminated.

In the days since then, residents' concerns and questions have only grown, and have been amplified, in part, by incorrect or false information being spread on the internet.

Was the controlled burning of the wagons with chemicals safe? 

Vinyl chloride is associated with an increased risk of certain types of cancer

, and officials warned at the time that burning it would release two worrying gases: hydrogen chloride and phosgene, which was used as a weapon in World War I.

Environmental officials say monitors detected airborne toxins at the site during the controlled burn.

They also point out that

continuous air monitoring conducted for the railroad and by government agencies

—including inside nearly 400 homes—has not detected dangerous levels in the area since residents were allowed to return. 

What is the danger of chemical substances for the inhabitants?

Even in communities beyond East Palestine, some residents say they are concerned about the long-term effects of

even low-grade exposure to contaminants from the accident site.

The town has scheduled a town hall meeting at the local high school for Wednesday night

to hear questions from residents, whose concerns include lingering odors, how to ensure cleanliness, and what to do about pets and livestock that appear ill or They have died since the derailment.

The risk to such animals is low, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture

, which recommended that people contact a local veterinarian if they have concerns about the health of their livestock or pets.

The department has not received any official reports of livestock or pet illnesses or deaths directly related to the incident, although proving that would require a necropsy and laboratory work, the Ohio Department of Agriculture said.

Repair work after the accident.

Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff warned at a news conference Tuesday that residents concerned about

lingering odors or headaches from the derailment

should know that these may be caused by levels of airborne contaminants. far below what is unsafe.

The derailment also raised concerns about the safety of the rail system

, although federal data shows that accidents on this scale involving hazardous materials are very rare.

The trains passed through East Palestine again shortly after the evacuation order was lifted.

What dangers are there on the ground and in the water?

Contaminants from the derailed railcars spilled into some waterways and were toxic to fish

, but officials have said the area's drinking water remained protected.

In addition to vinyl chloride, at least three other substances — butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether —

were released into the air, soil or water, according to an EPA letter

notifying rail operator Norfolk Southern. about your potential responsibility for cleanup costs.

Crash area in Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources estimates that the spill affected more than 7 miles (11 kilometers) of streams and killed about 3,500 fish

.

A slick of contaminants including butyl acrylate formed in the Ohio River in the

early days after the derailment and was slowly flowing Tuesday,

approaching Huntington, West Virginia, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency officials said.

The amounts of contaminants found so far do not pose a risk to cities that depend on the river for their drinking water, and the slick continues to thin as it progresses, the state EPA said.

In response,

some water companies have closed their intakes or increased treatment processes as a precaution.

Is the information circulating on social networks reliable?

The area of ​​the accident in Ohio.

As with any developing situation,

misinformation and exaggerations about the derailment have spread

across the internet in recent days.

Some social media users, for example,

have falsely claimed that drinking water is contaminated throughout the Ohio River Basin

despite the fact that many areas in the multi-state region are not affected by the release of the chemicals. .

Images of dark, ominous clouds have also spread with claims that they showed East Palestine after burning, despite those images appearing online in November 2022.

As information continues to develop, disinformation experts stress that people should be careful

before sharing unverified claims.

The accident area and measurements of air and soil toxicity.

'What caused the accident?

Investigators examined the railcar that started the derailment and have home surveillance video showing "what appears to be

a wheel bearing in the final stage of failure from overheating moments before the derailment

," the National Board said Tuesday. Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

His preliminary report is expected in two weeks.

However, rail operator Norfolk Southern and the NTSB have not publicly responded to one of the main questions about the February 3 derailment:

when exactly were the crew alerted to a mechanical problem with a railroad car axle

—the suspected cause—and whether you responded appropriately.

A roadside fault detector alerted the crew to a mechanical problem

"shortly before the derailment" and emergency braking was initiated, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board said that weekend.

Security video from two businesses in Salem, Ohio

shows the underside of a car glowing on a shaft that appears to be on fire

, indicating the train could have traveled more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) with that fault before of the derailment, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

The NTSB says it also reviews that video.

Source/AP

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All news articles on 2023-02-15

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