Ohio train derailment gives room for political tirades
When the news broke out, one would be hard-pressed to think such an unfortunate incident could be politicized. But this was exactly what happened when a Norfolk Southern-owned 151-car train transporting hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, on the night of February 3, 2023. A preliminary investigation has since revealed that a wheel-bearing failure led to the derailment. Further investigations are still ongoing.
The derailment caused toxic chemicals, including chloroethene (vinyl chloride), butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, isobutylene, combustible liquids, and benzene residue to escape into the atmosphere. Following the crash, these chemicals continued burning for over two days, further contaminating the environment and poisoning the water. Residents of East Palestine now fear for their long-term safety and the health implications of the emission. 525
Even though relevant authorities insist that the air and water remain safe, many believe it is too early to conclude.
From all indications, authorities’ response to the accident was swift enough. The US Environmental Protection Agency established an early presence at the site of the crash barely four hours after the incident. Since then, the agency has conducted repeated air and water quality tests and assured nearby residents of their safety. Several senior government officials, including <PERSON>, the US transportation secretary, have since visited the site to assess the extent of the damage.
On February 6, three days after the incident, Governors <PERSON> and <PERSON>, the respective governors of the States of Ohio and neighboring Pennsylvania, approved the burn-off of the remaining chemicals in the train. This process is necessary to prevent a likely explosion that could have been more disastrous than the first. Norfolk Southern successfully undertook this supervised burn-off.
Additionally, Norfolk Southern has been mandated to thoroughly clean up any resultant contamination from the explosion and the supervised burn-off.
As more details of this unfortunate incident continue to emerge, it is likely that there may have been some coverups. Nevertheless, one cannot deny that the response by the government and other concerned parties has gone a long way in mitigating the disaster. 924