Train derailment Ohio

2023 - 2 - 6

ohio train derailment ohio train derailment

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Image courtesy of "NPR"

Ohio braces for a 'controlled release' of derailed train cars later this ... (NPR)

Ohio authorities plan to release hazardous chemicals from five cars of a train that derailed amid fears of a "catastrophic" explosion.

The threat of a major explosion emerged Sunday night after a derailed train car experienced a drastic temperature change, according to DeWine. About 50 cars of a Norfolk Southern train went off track in East Palestine on Friday around 9 p.m. As of Sunday afternoon, [officials told residents that the air and drinking water were safe](https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=559324126248533&set=a.302221145292167). DeWine had issued an evacuation order on Sunday evening for residents living within a mile radius of the derailment site. Scott Deutsch of Norfolk Southern Railroad said the process entails creating a small hole in one of the tank cars and allowing substances to go down into a pit which will then light on fire. He added that it was important to conduct the operation before it was too dark.

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Image courtesy of "CNN"

Ohio governor warns of 'grave danger of death' near burning ... (CNN)

The evacuation zone surrounding the fiery derailment of train cars carrying hazardous chemicals has expanded to two states, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said.

Vinyl chloride in the air breaks down in a few days, resulting in the formation of several other chemicals including hydrochloric acid, formaldehyde, and carbon dioxide.” A “drastic change” was detected Sunday related to the vinyl chloride, Fire Chief Keith Drabick said. There was a mechanical failure warning before the crash, NTSB Member Michael Graham said Sunday. The threat escalated as an inferno burned for [a third night ](https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/04/us/east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment-fire/index.html)Sunday, and those within a 1-mile radius of the crash site are urged to evacuate immediately. Those outside the zone are asked to stay indoors and avoid travel “to keep the roadways clear for emergency services,” officials said. I’m in a cheap motel because I’m afraid of how much they’ll be willing to reimburse me for. “911 service will not be affected,” the department But by the time I got dressed to check out what was happening, I heard emergency vehicles rushing towards us,” Whiting told CNN on Monday. Those still in the immediate area of the derailment in East Palestine could face “grave danger of death,” DeWine said. “As of 8am this morning – the 1 mile evacuation zone will be enforced and you The family returned home Saturday and stayed overnight. The breach of several rail cars was completed successfully, according to a news release from Norfolk Southern.

Ohio train derailment leads to evacuation due to dangerous chemicals (Valley Public Radio)

Locals in northeastern Ohio are being urged to evacuate the area due to fears of a potential explosion.

Locals in northeastern Ohio are being urged to evacuate the area due to fears of a potential explosion caused by a train derailment. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. [WBUR.org.](https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2023/02/06/ohio-train-derailment)

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Image courtesy of "NBC News"

Controlled chemical release scheduled to prevent explosion in wake ... (NBC News)

Three days after a 150-car train derailed in northeastern Ohio, and risked exploding due to chemicals on board, authorities have announced a planned ...

This allows us to control that operation and not have the car seat and do it itself.” DeWine shared a model of the area surrounding East Palestine. That will then light off the material,” the official said. The controlled release also has the potential to be deadly if inhaled," he said. "The process we’re going to do today, we’re going to place a small shaped charge, it’s going to create a hole about 2 to 3 inches into the tank car. As a result, DeWine and Pennsylvania Gov.

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Ohio officials to release toxic chemicals from derailed train to avert ... (The Guardian)

Officials urge anyone within 1-mile radius of site in north-eastern Ohio to leave amid 'potential of a catastrophic tanker failure'

“Vinyl chloride and benzene may cause cancer in people exposed in the workplace to high concentrations for many years; however, there is no indication that any potential exposure that occurred after the derailment increases the risk of cancer or any other long-term health effects in community members.” Officials stressed late Saturday that they had not confirmed the release of vinyl chloride other than from pressure release devices operating as designed. Most of those who had gone to an emergency shelter were no longer there by Sunday. This is a matter of life and death,” DeWine said at a press conference. He estimated the process would take from one to three hours. Residents near the site have been ordered to evacuate.

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Image courtesy of "ABC News"

Ohio train derailment: Urgent evacuation call as officials scramble to ... (ABC News)

An evacuation order has been extended after a Norfolk Southern train that derailed and caught fire in East Palestine, Ohio, might explode. =

Drabick said the odor permeating East Palestine was not harmful at current levels, but representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency were monitoring the situation. "To alleviate the risk of uncontrollable shrapnel from an explosion, Norfolk Southern Railroad is planning a controlled release of the vinyl chloride at approximately 3:30 p.m. Janet Meek, who lives about one block from the railroad tracks, said she heard a "loud boom" around 9 p.m. The National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday that two videos show preliminary indications of mechanical issues on one of the rail car's axle. "The vinyl chloride contents of five rail cars are currently unstable and could potentially explode, causing deadly disbursement of shrapnel and toxic fumes," the governor's office said in a statement. Her husband reported seeing a "billowing ball of fire" while walking their dogs.

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Image courtesy of "PBS NewsHour"

Ohio officials enforce evacuation order, warn of probable toxic gas ... (PBS NewsHour)

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — Authorities were threatening to arrest anyone who doesn't leave an evacuation zone near the smoldering wreckage of an Ohio train ...

Investigators identified the exact “point of derailment,” but the board was still working to determine which rail car experienced the axle issue, he said. Norfolk Southern has opened an assistance center in the village to gather information from affected residents. He warned people to stay away and said they’d risk arrest. “I’m worried about leaving and not getting back,” Mallory Burkett, who lives just outside the evacuation area, said Monday just before her family drove out of town. No injuries to crew, residents or first responders were reported. While crews were working to prevent a major explosion, residents were packing overnight bags, loading their pets into cars and searching for hotel rooms.

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Image courtesy of "Reuters"

Ohio to carry out controlled release of chemicals at train derailment ... (Reuters)

Ohio officials on Monday said they would carry out a controlled release of hazardous chemicals after ordering evacuations near the site of a train ...

"This will be loud and visible. You just need to leave. "You need to leave.

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Image courtesy of "USA TODAY"

Officials to release toxic chemicals from 5 cars of derailed Ohio train ... (USA TODAY)

The release of vinyl chloride came amid the threat of a possible major explosion from the wreckage of the train near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.

A mechanical problem with a rail car axle caused the crash, according to federal investigators. Deutsch said the daytime release would lower the risk of rail cars exploding and allow the fumes to disperse faster. A preliminary investigative report was expected within the next month. Officials stressed Saturday that they had not confirmed any vinyl chloride release other than from pressure-release devices that were operating as designed. “This is a matter of life and death, you are in imminent danger.” A “controlled release” of vinyl chloride was set to occur at 3:30 p.m.

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Image courtesy of "WOKV"

Ohio train derailment: Controlled chemical release planned amid ... (WOKV)

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Authorities plan to conduct a controlled release of toxic chemicals on Monday afternoon, three days after several train cars carrying ...

The governor warned that people in the immediate area faced “a grave danger of death if they are still in that area.” Others in the evacuation area “are at risk of severe injury … Law enforcement officials are going door-to-door in the area surrounding the scene of the derailment to ensure that residents leave before the controlled chemical release. Graham said the NTSB will likely release a preliminary report in four to six weeks. “The vinyl chloride contents of five rail cars are currently unstable and could potentially explode, causing deadly disbursement of shrapnel and toxic fumes,” DeWine said at a news conference on Monday. Earlier, in a statement issued after state officials ordered the evacuation of residents on Sunday night, authorities said that “a drastic temperature change has taken place in a rail car, and there is now the potential of a catastrophic tanker failure which could cause an explosion with the potential of deadly shrapnel traveling up to a mile.” Mike DeWine said officials are concerned that the train cars could create a “potentially catastrophic” explosion.

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Image courtesy of "BBC News"

Ohio officials plan 'controlled release' of chemicals from derailed train (BBC News)

People living near the site of a derailed train in north-eastern Ohio have been ordered to evacuate as officials prepare a "controlled release" of toxic ...

It is not yet known why the Norfolk Southern train, which was carrying 100-plus cars, derailed. "We will be enforcing the evacuation zone," Sheriff Brian McLaughlin of Columbiana County said in a statement. Five of the derailed cars were carrying the chemical vinyl chloride, a type of gas.

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Image courtesy of "ABC News"

Ohio train derailment: Residents forced to evacuate not yet allowed ... (ABC News)

Residents near the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line who were told to evacuate after tanker cars derailed in a fiery crash have still not been allowed to return ...

"And we're going to continue to monitor until the fire's out." "For now, out of an abundance of caution, Pennsylvanians who live within two miles of East Palestine, where this derailment occurred, should just continue to shelter in place this evening and keep your windows and your doors closed." Ten of the derailed cars were transporting hazardous materials, five of which contained vinyl chloride. A large ball of fire and plume of black smoke could be seen billowing high into the sky from the smoldering derailment site in East Palestine, Ohio, as the controlled burn took place. East Palestine is a small village in northeastern Ohio, near the border with Pennsylvania. About 50 cars of a Norfolk Southern Railroad train, traveling from Illinois to Pennsylvania, derailed in East Palestine on Friday night at around 9 p.m.

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Image courtesy of "CBS News"

Ohio train derailment: Crews release toxic chemicals from derailed ... (CBS News)

Vinyl chloride was slowly released from five rail cars into a trough that was then ignited, creating a large plume above the village of East Palestine.

Investigators identified the exact "point of derailment," but the board was still working to determine which rail car experienced the axle issue, he said. About half of the 4,800 residents in East Palestine had been warned to leave over the weekend before officials decided on Monday to use the controlled release. He warned people to stay away and said they'd risk arrest. Once that happens, crews will start the "wrecking" process, in which the cars are moved off the tracks and relocated to a safe area where they'll be looked at by National Transportation Safety Board officials. Officials warned the controlled burn would send phosgene and hydrogen chloride into the air. He said residents followed the evacuation order and no arrests were made. Residents were packing overnight bags, loading their pets into cars and searching for hotel rooms Monday morning. The crews handling the controlled release have done this safely before, Deutsch said. "This is very serious," he said. This is a matter of life and death," DeWine said on Sunday. but authorities said they were closely monitoring the air quality. The Ohio Emergency Management Agency confirmed the release was underway.

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Image courtesy of "ideastream"

Railroad: Controlled release of chemicals in East Palestine ... (ideastream)

After a train derailed in East Palestine on Friday, Ohio officials are planning a controlled release of the toxic chemical contents.

"It's not going to be immediate," DeWine said. "You need to leave. You need to leave immediately." You just need to leave. The Ohio National Guard worked ahead of the controlled release to ensure everyone was evacuated, he said. We can't control where that goes, so that's the reason for doing this, get moving on this is that we don't have to run into letting the car do it itself," Deutsch said before the operation was carried out.

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Image courtesy of "pressherald.com"

Crews release toxic chemicals from derailed tankers in Ohio (pressherald.com)

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Crews released toxic chemicals into the air from five derailed tanker cars that were in danger of exploding Monday and began burning ...

About half of the 4,800 residents in East Palestine had been warned to leave over the weekend before officials decided on Monday to use the controlled release. Investigators identified the exact “point of derailment,” but the board was still working to determine which rail car experienced the axle issue, he said. Schultz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Officials warned the controlled burn would send phosgene and hydrogen chloride into the air. Authorities believed most, if not all, residents in the danger zone had left but they were knocking on doors one more time before releasing the vinyl chloride inside the cars, he said. Mike DeWine earlier ordered evacuations in the area of the derailment that has been smoldering since Friday night.

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Image courtesy of "90.5 WESA"

Pittsburgh advocates say a train derailment like the one in Ohio ... (90.5 WESA)

Advocates say Pittsburgh's ailing infrastructure and densely populated landscape put it at risk of a dangerous rail accident similar to the fiery derailment ...

But Olcerst said that rail bridges should be of even greater concern because they have to support far more weight, and the explosive material they carry, such as natural gas, could have consequences that extend far beyond the crash site. Monday, it hadn’t detected any changes to the quality of air it monitors. “What's happened is they've adopted a business model which almost caused the nationwide rail strike,” Olcest said. And each derailment, he said, shows different ways that the city is at risk of future and potentially more deadly crashes. Olcerst said that this wouldn’t be surprising because the company is responsible for inspecting its own rail cars, and the industry's reliance on self-monitoring hasn’t always worked. Initial indications from the National Transportation Safety Board suggest the accident in East Palestine was due to a mechanical failure in one of the rail cars. “If you are within the orange area on this map, you risk permanent lung damage within a matter of hours or days.” Olcerst said it was lucky that neither the truck nor the train was carrying something more explosive. “The [National Transportation Safety Board] limits our ability to speak on the derailment while their investigation is underway,” said spokesperson Conor Spielmaker in an email. Josh Shapiro issued a dire warning on Monday afternoon to Pennsylvania residents near the border of Ohio where a train derailment was threatening lives in East Palestine. But some Pittsburgh-area environmental advocates say that thousands of lives could be at risk if a similar accident were to happen within city limits. Rail operator Norfolk Southern was planning to release toxic fumes from five of the derailed cars into the atmosphere at 3:30 p.m., and some residents still had not evacuated.

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Image courtesy of "Fox News"

Ohio train derailment: Residents still barred from homes after toxic ... (Fox News)

Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, wait to go home after crew members released and burned hazardous chemicals from five rail cars involved in Friday's train ...

According to the CDC, it was used in This is a matter of life and death," DeWine declared at news conference. Mike DeWine,](https://www.foxnews.com/category/person/mike-dewine) crew members let vinyl chloride out of five cars, releasing it into a trough, and then burned it off while monitoring air quality. East Palestine is located on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. Josh Shapiro said at a news conference about three hours after the process started. Fire and smoke filled the air during the process.

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Image courtesy of "CNN"

5 derailed train cars carrying hazardous material at risk of exploding ... (CNN)

The burning stopped after a controlled release of the chemical at the train derailment site in East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border.

The derailment has upended life in East Palestine, a village of about 5,000 people. “We’re already to the point where the cars became safe. “Then an emergency brake application initiated.” “The detonation went perfect,” Deutsch said. [said Sunday](https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/06/us/east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment-fire-monday/index.html) that there was a mechanical failure warning before the crash. The train, which partially derailed Friday, had more than 100 cars. [straddling the Ohio-Pennsylvania border](https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/06/us/east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment-fire-monday/index.html). [ a massive inferno](http://www.cnn.com/2023/02/04/us/east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment-fire/index.html) and increased pressure inside the hot steel. After the breach, officials detected “slightly elevated” readings of the phosgene and hydrogen chloride in the burn area and “only one minor hit for the hydrogen chloride downwind of the burn area” within the exclusion zone, the EPA’s James Justice said Monday evening. A team will continue to monitor the air and water quality in the area, officials said. [unstable, toxic chemical](http://www.cnn.com/2023/02/06/us/east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment-fire-monday/index.html) Monday at the train derailment site in East Palestine, near the Pennsylvania border. The burning stopped after a controlled release of the

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Image courtesy of "CBS News"

Residents near the Ohio train derailment can't return home, officials ... (CBS News)

Evacuation orders were issued on Sunday ahead of a possible train car explosion with toxic chemicals, officials said.

"We also will have those cars on site into at least the middle of next week, because they're on a hold from NTSB for their review...NTSB and FRA (Federal Railroad Administration)," Deutch said. Four of the cars have been cleared, and they were working to get the fifth car clear, said Scott Deutsch of Norfolk Southern. As of Tuesday night, several cars have been cleared from the wreckage, and teams are continuing to clear the site. "We've been focusing largely on the air quality within that one-mile evacuation zone," Environmental Protection Agency official James Justice said Tuesday night. "No matter how much I want to stay." "We are working as hard as we can.

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Image courtesy of "Canton Repository"

Health officials: No air quality concerns after East Palestine train ... (Canton Repository)

Air quality monitors have shown no problems in and around Stark County following a train derailment in East Palestine.

Investigators identified the exact “point of derailment,” but the board was still working to determine which rail car experienced the axle issue, he said. EPA, which has been monitoring the air quality near the derailment. Residents in a one-mile by two-mile radius — in both Ohio and Pennsylvania — near the derailment site were evacuated over concerns of another potential explosion. Officials had warned the controlled burn would send phosgene and hydrogen chloride into the air. Pits and other containers were set up to catch materials. It monitors particulate matter, ozone in the summer months, volatile organic compounds and lead, Adams said.

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Image courtesy of "The Washington Post"

Ohio train derailment: What are the risks of toxic vinyl chloride? (The Washington Post)

For people living near the train accident in East Palestine, Ohio, the risks include breathing toxic fumes and possible water contamination.

As temperatures rise, heat waves are more often sweeping the globe — and parts of the world are [becoming too hot to survive](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2021/climate-change-humidity/?itid=lb_more-on-climate-change_4&itid=lb_more-on-climate-change_3). It can feel overwhelming facing the impacts of climate change, but there are [ways to cope with climate anxiety](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/climate-change-anxiety-dread-cope/2021/07/14/471eb264-e4d4-11eb-b722-89ea0dde7771_story.html?itid=lb_more-on-climate-change_6). As seas rise, others are exploring [how to harness marine energy](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/interactive/2021/cop26-scotland-wave-energy-renewables/?itid=lb_more-on-climate-change_14&itid=lb_more-on-climate-change_8). Coren](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/11/28/why-washington-post-is-starting-climate-advice-column/?itid=lb_more-on-climate-change_9) is answering questions about environmental choices in our everyday lives. [Submit yours here.](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-euNpVw9Z7xvi2ZoRiiE9why3YJTsHumbX9XrRe6bXX4Yrg/viewform?itid=lb_more-on-climate-change_10) You can also [sign up for our Climate Coach newsletter](https://www.washingtonpost.com/newsletters/climate-coach/?itid=lb_more-on-climate-change_11). In August, the [Los Angeles Times reported](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-12/chemical-leak-leads-to-road-closures-evacuation-in-riverside-county) that a chemical leak from a tanker car traveling along a railway in Perris, Calif., caused firefighters to shut down part of the I-215 freeway and evacuate the surrounding area. And they may have more data than I do — I hope they do — about what the exposure levels and wind patterns are, but if it were me, I would not stick around,” Olson said. But Olson cautioned that burning a chemical could increase the radius of exposure. This is technically possible, but much depends on the amount of chemicals released and how far the plume spreads. [The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns](https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHS/PHS.aspx?phsid=280&toxid=51) that breathing vinyl chloride over long periods “may be connected” to brain cancer, lung cancers and some cancers of the blood. But it’s not often that a train derailment, followed by forced evacuations, brings this issue to the public’s attention. There have been multiple reports of chemical spills from rail cars in the last year.

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Image courtesy of "The Philadelphia Inquirer"

What if a train derailment like Ohio's happened in Philly? (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

A Philadelphia train derailment involving hazardous materials could affect hundreds of thousands of residents.

Those don’t include chemical companies also operating in the region, which Zerbo noted is much more densely populated than East Palestine. City agencies that would be involved in an evacuation conducted an emergency response drill with federal and state officials last summer. Train accidents included the release of hazardous materials less than 1% of the time over the last decade, said Jessica Kahanek, a spokesperson for the industry organization. It’s a colorless, sweet-smelling gas that cause dizziness, headaches, and sleepiness in small amounts and can kill with heavy exposure. Kilgour noted the logistical obstacles an evacuation effort would face. [ the Marcus Hook Industrial Complex](https://www.inquirer.com/business/energy/sunoco-plans-new-marcus-hook-construction-mariner-east-pipeline-20190429.html), terminus of Sunoco’s Mariner East pipeline, and [the Trainer Refinery](https://www.monroe-energy.com/the-facilities/history-today/), both in Delaware County, use existing networks of rail lines that crisscross the region. East Palestine is home to 4,800, according to the Associated Press. [an explosion and fire](https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/refinery-explosion-fire-south-philadelphia-energy-solutions-20190621.html), there are plenty of other petroleum-related industries operating in the region — all connected by rail, said Zerbo of the Clean Air Council. “It could happen anywhere whenever you’re transporting these chemicals. [2012 derailment in Paulsboro, Gloucester County](https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/capitolinq/After-Paulsboro-railroads-adopt-federal-standards-for-chemical-spill-response.html), that also involved vinyl chloride escaping, the freight rail industry adopted the [federal guidelines](https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2021-01/ERG2020-WEB.pdf) that establish how to respond to emergencies and include minimum safe isolation and evacuation distances when a train accident involves the release of an array of materials, including toxic gas, flammable material, and explosives. [ Sunday in East Palestine, Ohio](https://www.inquirer.com/news/nation-world/ohio-train-derailment-evacuation-chemicals-20230207.html), near the Pennsylvania border, involved the risk of a deadly explosion and the release of a toxic chemical, vinyl chloride. [Ohio train derailment involves same chemical as one released in the Philly region a decade ago](https://www.inquirer.com/news/ohio-pennsylvania-train-derailment-vinyl-chloride-paulsboro-new-jersey-20230207.html)

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