In Photos: Train Carrying Toxic Chemicals Derailed in Ohio, Sparks Health Fears

After residents of East Palestine returned home, several complained of headaches, nausea and other illnesses.

The National Transportation Safety Board released their preliminary findings which indicated that the derailment took place because of a mechanical problem on one of the railcar’s carriages.

(Photo: Twitter)

Hundreds of residents of Ohio’s East Palestine were evacuated after a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed on 3 February, and the company was forced to burn the carcinogenic chemicals that spilled from crashed train cars. The train was pulling at least five tanker cars filled with vinyl chloride, a colourless hazardous gas. 

Two days after the vinyl chloride was burnt and residents of East Palestine were allowed to return to their homes, several complained of a strong stench, headaches, nausea and other illnesses.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency says that acute exposure to high levels of vinyl chloride in the air has been linked to central nervous system effects, while chronic explore has caused liver damage, including a rare form of liver cancer.

The EPA said that it had not detected any "levels of concern" of hazardous substances which was released during or after the crash, even though the agency is continuously monitoring the air throughout the 210-home East Palestine town.

The National Transportation Safety Board released their preliminary findings which indicated that the derailment took place because of a mechanical problem on one of the railcar’s carriages, which may be connected to reports that one of the axles was observed throwing sparks about an hour before the incident. 

A town close to East Palestine told a local TV station that six of their chickens suddenly died a day after the chemical release. Another resident reportedly saw dead fish floating at a local creek.

Several experts have expressed concern that the EPA is not testing for other toxic chemicals that could have been emitted through the burning of toxic substances. 

On 8 February, several affected local businesses and local residents filled multiple class-action lawsuits against the railway company. While one lawsuit demands that the company pay for medical treatment and screening of resident within a 30-mile-radius of the incident.

While Norfolk Southern Railway began offering $1,000 payments to cover costs related to the evacuation,” some residents expressed concern that it may limit their ability to join future legal actions. 

Close to a decade ago in 2012, a similar incident in New Jersey caused 23,000 gallons of vinyl chloride to be released, which sparked a push for more regulation in the rail industry with respect to how it handles toxic material spills.