By Justin Franz
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Nearly two weeks after a Norfolk Southern train derailed and caught fire in eastern Ohio, local residents are growing frustrated with public officials and the railroad over unanswered questions about the safety of the air they breathe and the water they drink.
Late on February 3, NS train 32N derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, as the result of an overheated wheel bearing, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Thirty-eight of the train’s 150 cars derailed, of which 11 were carrying hazardous materials. The derailment sparked a fire, forcing evacuations nearby. Three days later, on February 6, NS conducted a “controlled release” of some of the cars carrying vinyl chloride, a dangerous gas used to make plastic products, because it was concerned the tank cars might explode. More residents were evacuated before the release and told that if they stayed they were in “grave danger of death.” NS later said the release was “successful” and residents were able to return to their homes a few days later.
But since then, local residents have grown concerned about the homes and town they returned to. Fish are turning up dead in area creeks, local residents are reporting unexplained rashes and they are unsure if the water is safe to drink, despite assurances that it is from state and local officials. As the days have gone on, anger has replaced the clouds of smoke that billowed from NS’ “controlled release.”
A few days after the wreck, NS vowed to give the community $25,000, a sum that was widely criticized considering the company makes billions of dollars annually. On Tuesday, it upped that amount, announcing it was creating a $1 million charitable fund for the town. The railroad also vowed to provide air purifiers to local residents and conduct in-home tests in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
On Wednesday, railroad officials were expected to attend a town hall meeting to answer questions from residents. But hours before the meeting, the railroad pulled out citing unspecified security concerns. “We have become increasingly concerned about the growing physical threat to our employees and members of the community around this event stemming from the increasing likelihood of the participation of outside parties,” a spokesman said.
The morning after NS officials failed to show up at the town hall meeting, CEO Alan Shaw said the company “will not walk away.” In the letter, Shaw wrote that he had visited the town a week earlier and that the company would clean up its mess.
“When I visited East Palestine last week, you told me how the train derailment has upended your lives and how concerned you are about the safety of your air, water, and land. Many of you have also reached out to Norfolk Southern to share your fears, your anger, and your frustration,” Shaw wrote. “I hear you. We hear you. I know you also have questions about whether Norfolk Southern will be here to help make things right.
“My simple answer is that we are here and will stay here for as long as it takes to ensure your safety and to help East Palestine recover and thrive.”