Ohio train derailment – live: Train company pulls out of East Palestine public meeting over chemical fears

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has insisted there is no lingering danger to residents of East Palestine after a train carrying toxic substances derailed nearly two weeks ago.

The Norfolk Southern freight train carrying 20 cars of hazardous materials derailed near the state border with Pennsylvania on 3 February, sparking concerns of lasting environmental damage and health issues for residents.

Officials carried out a controlled detonation which sent noxious black clouds billowing into the air.

Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, Mr DeWine said that tests on air and water around the site of the train derailment showed no cause for concern.

There had been no significant change in the air quality since the 3 February derailment, and the fish that were killed died very soon after the crash, he said.

Residents had been advised to drink bottled water “out of an abundance of caution”, he added.

Some residents have complained of suffering respiratory infections in the aftermath of the crash, while there have been reports of animals dying mysteriously in surrounding towns.

A planned Q and A session to answer concerns of East Palestine residents was scrapped on Wednesday, officials said.

Key points

• DeWine promises to hold Norfolk Southern’s feet to the fire

• Animals drop dead as ecological disaster unfolds

• Map shows area affected by toxic spill

• Jon Stewart blasts Tucker Carlson and JD Vance

• Pete Buttigieg speaks out about Ohio train derailment

• Officials scrap planned Q&A session

Lawsuit alleges Norfolk's clean up efforts 'made it worse'

04:30 , Stuti Mishra

A lawsuit filed in the United States District Court by some residents in the area alleges the efforts of authorities to clean up and mitigate the calamity have instead worsened the situation, demanding punitive damages and medical monitoring.

The case filed by law firm Morgan & Morgan alleges after authorities "purportedly blew holes in the cars containing vinyl chloride, dumping 1.1 million pounds of vinyl chloride" into the area.

According to the EPA, this is more than double the amount of vinyl chloride all industrial emitters release in the United States – combined – over the course of a year. Vinyl chloride is a known carcinogen, to which there is no safe level of exposure.

“I’m not sure Norfolk Southern could have come up with a worse plan to address this disaster,” said attorney John Morgan.

“Residents exposed to vinyl chloride may already be undergoing DNA mutations that could linger for years or even decades before manifesting as terrible and deadly cancers."

"The lawsuit alleges that Norfolk Southern made it worse by essentially blasting the town with chemicals as they focused on restoring train service and protecting their shareholders.”

The complaint goes on to allege that, rather than engaging in safer, more prudent and more costly efforts to properly contain and clean up the spill, Norfolk Southern chose a cheaper, less safe containment method — setting the spilled chemicals on fire, creating a 1-million-pound-plus chemical burn pit, and releasing Phosgene Gas into the atmosphere. Phosgene gas is a deadly chemical warfare agent banned under the Geneva Protocol.

“From chemicals that cause nausea and vomiting to a substance responsible for the majority of chemical warfare deaths during World War I, the people of East Palestine and the surrounding communities are facing an unprecedented array of threats to their health,” said Morgan & Morgan attorneys Frank Petosa and Rene Rocha.

“While the lives impacted by this wholly preventable catastrophe may never be the same, we are committed to holding Norfolk Southern accountable for its actions and inactions and securing justice for those whose lives have been disrupted and remain in danger.”

Plaintiffs are seeking relief including medical monitoring, injunctive and declaratory relief, punitive damages, and damages related to injuries, emotional distress, loss of property value, and increased risks of future illness.

Map: Where the Norfolk Southern train derailed

Wednesday 15 February 2023 20:00 , Bevan Hurley

Thousands of Ohio residents had to evacuate their homes after a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic materials derailed on 3 February.

Since then, air and water testing has shown the area is safe to return to, according to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

However, the hazardous substances that were deliberately burned off to avoid an explosion created enormous plumes of black smoke toxic. Residents have reported skin and respiratory illnesses and chemicals have seeped into water supplies and earth.

'They screwed up our town': Angry Ohio residents seek answers on train's toxic spill

07:30 , Stuti Mishra

Hundreds of irate residents of the Ohio town where the train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals packed into a high school gym yesterday, seeking answers to what health dangers they face.

East Palestine mayor Trent Conaway, looking angry and tired, said he wanted to help provide some reassurance for the 4,700 citizens of his town, and hold to account those responsible for the train derailment.

"We need our citizens to feel safe in their own homes," Mr Conaway said as the meeting began. "I need help. I'm not ready for this. But I'm not leaving, I'm not going anywhere."

Mr Conaway said Norfolk Southern, which operated the toxins-laden train that derailed on 3 February in East Palestine, was working closely with him. "They screwed up our town, they're going to fix it," Mr Conway said.

Mr Conaway addressed citizens seated in bleachers, speaking through a bull horn as he paced around the gym floor.

Norfolk Southern officials did not attend the meeting, saying they feared violence.

"After consulting with community leaders, 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," the company said in an emailed statement.

All we know about affected areas and a cancer-causing chemical

06:30 , Stuti Mishra

More than a week after the Ohio train derailment, information is still trickling out about what exactly happened and what risk the 5,000 residents of East Palestine — and the millions in the surrounding region — may face as a result of the crash.

Graig Graziosi takes a comprehensive look at what we know about the train derailment, its causes, and what effect it has — and may have — on the people and the environment.

Train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio: Everything we know

Pete Buttigieg blames Trump for Ohio train derailment

06:00 , Stuti Mishra

Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg partly blamed the Trump administration for the recent train derailment that carried toxic chemicals in Ohio.

Mr Buttigieg claimed that the Department of Transportation had made significant investments in rail safety, but their efforts were hindered by the Trump administration's decision to withdraw a proposed rule in 2018 that would have required trains carrying dangerous chemicals to use electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes.

Mr Buttigieg tweeted that his agency had been working diligently to improve rail safety but was constrained by law in certain areas of rail regulation, including the braking rule withdrawn by the Trump administration in 2018.

"In the wake of the East Palestine derailment and its impact on hundreds of residents, we're seeing lots of newfound or renewed (and welcome) interest in our work on rail safety, so I wanted to share more about what we've been doing in this area," Mr Buttigieg tweeted.

"But we are constrained by law on some areas of rail regulation (like the braking rule withdrawn by the Trump administration in 2018 because of a law passed by Congress in 2015), but we are using the powers we do have to keep people safe," he added.

"And of course, I'm always ready to work with Congress on furthering (or in some cases, restoring) our capacity to address rail safety issues."

Train did not break down for the first time, employee says

05:30 , Stuti Mishra

The Norfolk Southern train that derailed in Ohio earlier this month had experienced problems earlier and had concerns around its size, an employee has said.

A report by CBS News quoting unnamed staff members said broke down at least once before derailing in East Palestine, Ohio.

The employees were also quoted saying there were concerns among those working on the train over what they believed was the train's excessive length and weight — 151 cars, 9,300 feet long, 18,000 tons – before it reached East Palestine, which contributed to both the initial breakdown and the derailment.

"We shouldn't be running trains that are 150 car lengths long," one of the employees told CBS News.

"There should be some limitations to the weight and the length of the trains. In this case, had the train not been 18,000 tons, it's very likely the effects of the derailment would have been mitigated."

Ohio derailment aftermath: How worried should people be?

05:10 , Stuti Mishra

Plumes of smoke, questions about dead animals, worries about the drinking water. A train derailment in Ohio and subsequent burning of some of the hazardous chemicals has people asking: how worried should they be?

The Associated Press takes a look at the immediate dangers to residents.

Ohio derailment aftermath: How worried should people be?

Arizona interstate reopens after deadly crash, leak

04:50 , Stuti Mishra

The main freeway in southern Arizona reopened in both directions a few hours ago and officials said people living southeast of downtown Tucson could return home a day after a deadly crash sent acrid plumes into the desert sky and prompted evacuation.

“The public may resume normal activities,” Arizona’s Department of Public Safety said in statement late night.

Less than 3.2km of Interstate 10 had been closed in both directions for more than a full day after a truck tractor pulling a box trailer crashed Tuesday afternoon.

Residents within a half-mile of the crash initially were told to leave, and those within 1.6 kilometres were told to shelter in place after liquid nitric acid was determined to be leaking from the wreck.

The shelter in place order was extended for a time to 4.8 kilometres but was lifted altogether by night. Before that, area residents were told to turn off heaters and air conditioning systems that bring in outside air.

Officials have been dealing with Arizona’s hazardous crash as Ohio residents continue to raise concerns about the release of toxic chemicals on board a freight train that derailed and left 50 cars in a fiery, mangled mess.

How many train derailments have there been in the US in 2023?

04:00 , Bevan Hurley

The recent Ohio train derailment, in which carriages from a 150-car freight liner carrying toxic chemicals crashed off the tracks in the town of East Palestine, is just one of more than a dozen rail accidents reported to have already taken place in the US since the start of 2023.

The accident was not even the first to have occurred in Ohio this year, according to Newsweek, with another derailment having taken place on 19 January between Trinway and Adam’s Mill.

In that incident, an Ohio Central Railroad train comprising 97 cars and stretching for 1.2 miles slid off the rails, although they were empty at the time so leaked no cargo and no one was hurt.

The Independent’s Joe Sommerlad has more details.

How many train derailments have there been in the US in 2023?

The DC blame game begins over Ohio train derailment

03:00 , Bevan Hurley

Experts say that industry practices, mechanical issues, regulations, and labour problems all contributed to the 3 February crash, writes The Independent’s Josh Marcus.

“The immediate cause of the derailment, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary investigation, was a wheel bearing on one of the train’s cars becoming overheating and failing just before the crash.

“The deeper reasons for the crash are more complex.”

Read Josh’s full story below examining who is to blame for the derailment.

The DC blame game begins over Ohio train derailment. Whose fault is it?

Couple and toddler diagnosed with respiratory infections

02:00 , Bevan Hurley

A couple and their three-year-old child are suffering from upper respiratory infections in the wake of the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Local residents, Chris and Jamie Wallace, and their toddler, went to hospital with breathing issues which they said developed after the train crash.

“I knew something was different when we left town and there was that chemical smell in your nose, as if you were in the bathroom cleaning with bleach and you walk out and you still smell that bleach in your nose,” Jamie Wallace told NewsNation on Tuesday.

Louise Boyle has the story.

Ohio toxic train derailment: Couple and toddler diagnosed with respiratory infections

Deaths, silenced whistleblowers, and $10bn for shareholders: a look at Norfolk Southern

01:29 , Abe Asher

Norfolk Southern has repeatedly been criticised in recent years for failing to prioritise worker and rail safety — and now The Independent is reporting that the company chose to authorise $10bn stock buybacks for shareholders rather than invest in maintenance.

Bevan Hurley and Louise Boyle’s look at the rail company paints a picture of a company that routinely cut corners in pursuit of profit — cutting its workforce by a fifth over the last few years and getting hauled before Congress along with the other three major rail companies over federal regulators’ concerns about the detrioration of the industry.

The controversial company behind Ohio’s toxic train disaster

OSHA found that Norfolk Southern also retaliated against employees for reporting work-related injuries and was ordered to pay $1.1m to three whistleblowers wrongfully fired for reporting injuries.

The derailement that has endangered the town of East Palestine, Ohio was, according to Hurley and Boyle’s piece, a “disaster was years in the making.”

Charges dismissed for reporter arrested while covering DeWine press conference

01:00 , Bevan Hurley

“While journalists could conceivably be subject to criminal charges for trespassing in some situations, this incident is not one of them,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in dismissing criminal trespassing and resisting arrest charges against NewsNation’s Evan Lambert on Wednesday.

Full story below.

Charges dismissed for reporter arrested while covering train derailment

Derailment indicative of industry regulation issues

01:00 , Abe Asher

The train derailment that has endangered East Palestine is far from the only derailment that the US has seen this month.

Just this week, a collision between a truck driver and several freight train cars in Houston left the truck driver dead and a team of hazardous materials monitors from Union Pacific monitoring air quality. The town of Enoree, South Carolina experienced a derailment as well.

Workers and activists with organisations like Railroad Workers United say these derailments will become the norm if the major changes aren’t made to prioritise safety in the freight rail industry.

Not making those changes could, if their forecast is accurate, have more devastating consequences. Around 12,000 train cars carrying toxic materials pass through US cities each day, with The Guardianreporting that 25 million Americans currently live in an oil train blast zone.

Train had a reputation among rail workers

00:31 , Abe Asher

The 32N train that derailed in East Palestine was notorious among rail workers who nicknamed it “32 Nasty,” Aaron Gordon reported Wednesday in VICE News.

The freight rail industry has been in the headlines for months since President Joe Biden signed a bill blocking a rail workers strike in December, with Norfolk Southern coming under particular scrutiny for jeopardising worker safety to increase efficiency and maximise profits.

This train was a particular concern due to its weight distribution. According to Gordon’s reporting, 40 percent of train’s weight was located in the back third of the train’s length — a serious potential safety hazard, given that the common wisdom is that trains should be frontloaded with their lightest cars, not their heaviest, placed at the back.

Norfolk Southern, which pulled out of a community meeting in East Palestine on Wednesday night, denied the claim that the train had a disporportiante amount of weight at the back.

Jon Stewart blasts Tucker Carlson and JD Vance over Ohio train derailment remarks

00:00 , Bevan Hurley

Jon Stewart has taken a swipe at “Right populist figures” Tucker Carlson and JD Vance over the Ohio train derailment disaster.

On the latest episode of his podcast The Problem with Jon Stewart, the former late night comedian took aim at the pair for “play acting concern” for working people while railing against infrastructure spending.

“I’m so annoyed at... these like very on the Right populist figures talking about how we’ve gotta fix this. Meanwhile, these are the motherfuckers that would never spend money on infrastructure that always shoot those budgets down, that make it impossible for any government to regulate anything,” Mr Stewart said, according to Mediaite.

“Man, they get up on that high horse, ‘The Biden administration,’ and ‘This, inflation reduction act won’t fix it.’ Well, you know what caused it in the first place? Your f***ing policies. Man, that drives me nuts,” Mr Stewart said.

Mr Vance attracted criticism for taking 10 days to make a substantive comment about the train derailment.

His first public comment on 13 February coincided with an appearance on Carlson’s Fox News show, where he blamed Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigeig for caring more about diversity hiring than fixing infrastructure.

Mr Stewart last year successfully lobbied Congress to pass legislation giving healthcare to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits overseas. He has also been a longtime supporter of 9/11 survivors.

Residents brace themselves for public meeting

Wednesday 15 February 2023 23:51 , Abe Asher

Residents of East Palestine, Ohio are still searching for answers about the threats they’re facing to their health nearly two weeks after the train derailment that has forced many of them from their homes, and they’re hoping to get answers at tonight’s public meeting at the East Palestine High School at 7pm local time.

WEWS-TV reported Wednesday that multiple tables will be set up inside the meeting where residents will have the opportunity to meet with officials including the town’s mayor about their concerns.

They will not, however, have the opportunity to question officials with rail operator Norfolk Southern after the rail company pulled out of the meeting due to what it said were concerns “about the growing physical threat to our employees and members of the community.”

What chemicals were spilled and how toxic are they?

Wednesday 15 February 2023 23:00 , Bevan Hurley

Residents of the small town of East Palestine, Ohio are still dealing with the environmental consequences of a major train derailment this month.

Some 50 cars derailed from a Norfolk Southern freight train on 3rd February. Around 20 of those cars were carrying hazardous materials when it careened off the tracks after suffering a broken axle, investigators said.

No one was killed in the incident but more than 2,000 residents were temporarily evacuated from the area due to health concerns.

Some of the rail tankers contained vinyl chloride which was at risk of a chemical explosion. Crews carried out a controlled burn of the substance to prevent a blast but still sent noxious black clouds billowing across the region.

The fire released phosgene, a gas deployed as a chemical weapon in the First World War, which causes eye irritation, dry burning throat and vomiting.

The Independent’s Joe Sommerlad has the story.

What chemicals were spilled in the Ohio train derailment and how toxic are they?

East Palestine officials scrap plan for Q&A session on Ohio train derailment as health concerns mount

Wednesday 15 February 2023 22:45 , Bevan Hurley

Authorities in the Ohio town where a train derailed carrying toxic chemicals have scrapped plans for a question-and-answer session for residents.

Health concerns are mounting among the citizens of East Palestine amid reports of dead animals and local people falling sick.

The local mayor originally had announced that a Q&A town hall meeting would take place on Wednesday at 7pm at East Palestine High School’s gymnasium, WKBN reported.

East Palestine officials scrap plan for Q&A session on Ohio train derailment

Norfolk Southern won’t attend community meeting tonight over safety concerns

Wednesday 15 February 2023 22:26 , Bevan Hurley

Norfolk Southern representatives won’t be attending a community meeting in East Palestine tonight due to safety fears, NewsNation’s Brian Entin says.

The railway company says it has become “increasingly concerned about the growing physical threat to our employees,” according to Mr Entin.

The DC blame game begins over Ohio train derailment

Wednesday 15 February 2023 21:54 , Bevan Hurley

Experts argue industry practices, mechanical issues, regulations, and labour problems all contributed to crash, writes The Independent’s Josh Marcus.

“The immediate cause of the derailment, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary investigation, was a wheel bearing on one of the train’s cars becoming overheating and failing just before the crash.

“The deeper reasons for the crash are more complex.”

Read Josh’s full story below examining who is to blame for the derailment.

The DC blame game begins over Ohio train derailment. Whose fault is it?

Watch: Devastating aftermath of Ohio train derailment revealed in shocking drone footage

Wednesday 15 February 2023 21:30 , Bevan Hurley

Drone footage has revealed the devastating aftermath of the Ohio train derailment.

Thirty-eight cars, with some carrying hazardous materials, on a freight train careered off the tracks after suffering a broken axle in East Palestine on 3 February.

Due to the risk of a chemical explosion, a controlled burn of the materials was carried out.

Footage from Rubber City Drones shows cars scattered off the tracks, surrounded by scorched buildings.

Environmental group calls for Ohio governor to declare a state of emergency

Wednesday 15 February 2023 21:00 , Bevan Hurley

Environmental advocate organisation Earthjustice has called on Ohio governor Mike DeWine to declare a state of emergency after the 3 February train derailment.

A Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous gases derailed in East Palestine, contaminating nearby waterways and soil.

Residents have reported smelling chlorine, and have had trouble breathing.

Earthjustice Legislative Counsel Julian Gonzalez said in a statement that Mr DeWine must “explore emergency options to mitigate the damage caused by this preventable disaster.”

Where did toxic chemical spill happen in East Palestine?

Wednesday 15 February 2023 20:30 , Bevan Hurley

A small town in eastern Ohio has been rocked by a train derailment that spilled a number of hazardous chemicals into the air and ground, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate and sparking fears of lasting ecological fallout.

East Palestine was thrown into chaos on the night of 3 February when a 150-car Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals and other materials suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure, hurtling the cars off the tracks.

More than a week later, information is still trickling out about what exactly happened and what risk the 5,000 residents of East Palestine — and the millions in the surrounding region — may face as a result of the crash.

Ohio train derailment map: Where did toxic chemical spill happen in East Palestine?

Ohio residents fear animal deaths are linked to toxic burnout

Wednesday 15 February 2023 19:30 , Bevan Hurley

Amanda Breshears, resident of North Lima, Ohio, says that her chickens died suddenly after toxic chemicals from a train derailment were burned off to avoid an explosion.

Ms Breshears lives about 10 miles from East Palestine and told WKBN that she had discovered five hens and a rooster that appeared to have dropped dead last week.

She said she had smelt chlorine and was afraid to let her dog outside.

Footage of the lifeless chickens, lying in practically in the same position where she had left them, has since gone viral online.

Couple and toddler diagnosed with respiratory infections

Wednesday 15 February 2023 19:15 , Bevan Hurley

A couple and their three-year-old child are suffering from upper respiratory infections in the wake of the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Local residents, Chris and Jamie Wallace, and their toddler, went to hospital with breathing issues which they said developed after the train crash.

“I knew something was different when we left town and there was that chemical smell in your nose, as if you were in the bathroom cleaning with bleach and you walk out and you still smell that bleach in your nose,” Jamie Wallace told NewsNation on Tuesday.

Louise Boyle has the story.

Ohio toxic train derailment: Couple and toddler diagnosed with respiratory infections

DeWine: ‘We’re going to hold Norfolk Southern’s feet to the fire’

Wednesday 15 February 2023 19:00 , Bevan Hurley

Speaking to CNN on Wednesday morning, Ohio governor Mike DeWine said that tests on air and water around the site of the train derailment in East Palestine continued to show no reason for alarm.

There had been no significant change in the air quality since the 3 February derailment, and the fish that were killed died very soon after the crash, he said.

Residents had been advised to drink bottled water “out of an abundance of caution”.

Mr DeWine said he had spoken to the CEO of rail company Norfolk Southern on Tuesday, and he had pledged to remain in the area until the clean-up operation was complete.

“We’re going to hold them accountable,” Mr DeWine said. “They are responsible for a very serious train wreck that occurred with some very toxic materials. We’re going to hold their feet to the fire. We’re going to make sure they pay for everything moving forward.”

Charges dismissed for reporter arrested while covering DeWine press conference

Wednesday 15 February 2023 18:30 , Bevan Hurley

“While journalists could conceivably be subject to criminal charges for trespassing in some situations, this incident is not one of them,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in dismissing charges against NewsNation’s Evan Lambert.

Full story below.

Charges dismissed for reporter arrested while covering train derailment

Jon Stewart blasts Tucker Carlson and JD Vance over Ohio train derailment remarks

Wednesday 15 February 2023 18:15 , Bevan Hurley

Jon Stewart has taken a swipe at “Right populist figures” Tucker Carlson and JD Vance over the Ohio train derailment disaster.

On the latest episode of his podcast The Problem with Jon Stewart, the former late night comedian took aim at the pair for “play acting concern” for working people while railing against infrastructure spending.

“I’m so annoyed at... these like very on the Right populist figures talking about how we’ve gotta fix this. Meanwhile, these are the motherfuckers that would never spend money on infrastructure that always shoot those budgets down, that make it impossible for any government to regulate anything,” Mr Stewart said, according to Mediaite.

“Man, they get up on that high horse, ‘The Biden administration,’ and ‘This, inflation reduction act won’t fix it.’ Well, you know what caused it in the first place? Your f***ing policies. Man, that drives me nuts,” Mr Stewart said.

Mr Vance attracted criticism for taking 10 days to make a substantive comment about the train derailment.

His first public comment on 13 February coincided with an appearance on Carlson’s Fox News show, where he blamed Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigeig for caring more about diversity hiring than fixing infrastructure.

Mr Stewart last year successfully lobbied Congress to pass legislation giving healthcare to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits overseas. He has also been a longtime supporter of 9/11 survivors.

East Palestine officials scrapped plan for Q&A session on Ohio train derailment as health concerns mount

Wednesday 15 February 2023 18:00 , Bevan Hurley

Amid mounting fears of the potential health dangers from the Ohio train derailment, East Palestine officials scrapped plans to hold a Q&A session this evening.

The local mayor originally had announced that a Q&A town hall meeting would take place on Wednesday at 7pm at East Palestine High School’s gymnasium, WKBN reported.

Louise Boyle has more details.

East Palestine officials scrap plan for Q&A session on Ohio train derailment

Trump regulatory rollbacks to blame for Ohio derailment, senator says

Wednesday 15 February 2023 17:41 , Bevan Hurley

Sherrod Brown, the Ohio Democrat, blamed regulatory rollbacks during the Trump administration for the East Palestine derailment on Wednesday.

“I mean, every chance Republicans get they weaken worker safety rules, they weaken environmental rules,” Mr Brown told The Independent’s Eric Garcia a few minutes ago in Washington DC.

“They weaken consumer protection rules. So we want to know if we’ve got to fix that. But that doesn’t help East Palestine now.”

Asked about the Biden administration’s response, the senator said it “what we need it to be”.

Experts say the severity of the 3 February derailment was likely increased by the lack of Electronically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) brakes on the train.

Barack Obama passed legislation requiring trains carrying hazardous substances to have ECP brakes.

That law was rescinded by the Trump administration in 2017, after lobbying from the rail industry.

“We are concerned that the Trump administration rolled back some of the safety rules and some of the the railroad safety and worker safety rules,” Mr Brown added.

Chemicals from Ohio train derailment may have reached West Virginia, JD Vance says

Wednesday 15 February 2023 17:32 , Bevan Hurley

Ohio Senator JD Vance said chemicals from the East Palestine train derailment may have made their way as far south as Cincinnati and even into West Virginia.

Speaking to reporters including The Independent’s Eric Garcia Washington DC a few minutes ago, Mr Vance said he was still trying to get answers from the Environmental Protection Agency about what safe levels of contamination looked like.

“We have asked, now for about 24 hours, I think there are a lot of secondary concerns,” he said.

Mr Vance said he was focused on making East Palestine residents safe and avoiding future disasters.

Mr Vance added that he had just spoken to the Biden administration about the clean-up operation, and was in constant contact with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s office.

Dead animals and reports of sickness after Ohio toxic train derailment

Wednesday 15 February 2023 17:30 , Bevan Hurley

The ecological fallout from the derailment of a freight train carrying toxic materials in rural Ohio is still being determined ten days after the disaster.

Around 50 train cars derailed on 3rd February in the small town of East Palestine including about 20 cars carrying hazardous substances.

No one was killed after a broken axle sent the Norfolk Southern train careening off the tracks, investigators said. More than 2,000 residents were evacuated due to health concerns over the chemical leak but have since been allowed to return.

The Independent’s Senior Climate Correspondent Louise Boyle takes a closer look at the possible ecological impacts.

Dead animals and reports of sickness after Ohio train derailment in East Palestine

Ohio train derailment: What chemicals were spilled and how toxic are they?

Wednesday 15 February 2023 17:00 , Bevan Hurley

Some 50 cars derailed from a Norfolk Southern freight train on 3rd February. Around 20 of those cars were carrying hazardous materials when it careened off the tracks after suffering a broken axle, investigators said.

Some of the rail tankers contained vinyl chloride which was at risk of a chemical explosion. Crews carried out a controlled burn of the substance to prevent a blast but still sent noxious black clouds billowing across the region.

The Independent’s Joe Sommerlad takes a closer look at the toxic substances spilled in the 3 February derailment.

What chemicals were spilled in the Ohio train derailment and how toxic are they?

Video footage shows train on fire

Wednesday 15 February 2023 16:40 , Bevan Hurley

Footage has emerged reportedly showing a Norfolk Southern train with flames and sparks under one of its cars shortly before it derailed.

The footage, obtained by an ABC News reporter, apparently shows the ill-fated train travelling through Salem, about 18 miles from the crash site at East Palestine, on 3 February.

Sparks and flames can be seen coming from the undercarriage of the train.

NewsNation reporter says he hopes arrest ‘shines further attention on people of East Palestine'

Wednesday 15 February 2023 16:17 , Bevan Hurley

NewsNation reporter Evan Lambert has responded after charges of criminal trespass and resisting arrest against him were dropped.

Mr Lambert said he was still processing the “traumatic event”, and thanked Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Governor Mike DeWine.

“I am doing alright, and I will be OK,” he wrote in a message posted to Twitter.

“I also hope what happened to me shines further attention on the people of East Palestine, who rightly have questions about their safety in light of an environmental hazard.”

Charges dropped against reporter arrested while covering Ohio rail disaster press conference

Wednesday 15 February 2023 15:59 , Bevan Hurley

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has announced he was dismissing criminal charges against a NewsNation reporter who was arrested while covering the toxic train derailment.

Evan Lambert was charged with criminal trespass and resisting arrest while trying to record a live broadcast from a Mike DeWine press conference on 8 February.

Bodycam footage showed two highway patrol officers confront Mr Lambert for being too loud, and then push him to the ground.

In a statement, Mr Yost said the charges were not supported by evidence.

“While journalists could conceivably be subject to criminal charges for trespassing in some situations, this incident is not one of them.”

He added that tensions had been running high after the 3 February derailment.

“Regardless of the intent, arresting a journalist reporting at a press conference is a serious matter.”

East Palestine officials scrap plan for Q&A session on Ohio train derailment as health concerns mount

Wednesday 15 February 2023 15:40 , Bevan Hurley

Authorities in the Ohio town where a train derailed carrying toxic chemicals have scrapped plans for a question-and-answer session for residents.

Health concerns are mounting among the citizens of East Palestine amid reports of dead animals and local people falling sick.

The local mayor originally had announced that a Q&A town hall meeting would take place on Wednesday at 7pm at East Palestine High School’s gymnasium, WKBN reported.

Louise Boyle has more details.

East Palestine officials scrap plan for Q&A session on Ohio train derailment

DeWine: ‘We’re going to hold Norfolk Southern’s feet to the fire’

Wednesday 15 February 2023 15:20 , Bevan Hurley

Speaking to CNN on Wednesday morning, Ohio governor Mike DeWine said that tests on air and water around the site of the train derailment in East Palestine continued to show no reason for alarm.

There had been no significant change in the air quality since the 3 February derailment, and the fish that were killed died very soon after the crash, he said.

Residents had been advised to drink bottled water “out of an abundance of caution”.

Mr DeWine said he had spoken to the CEO of rail company Norfolk Southern on Tuesday, and he had pledged to remain in the area until the clean-up operation was complete.

“We’re going to hold them accountable,” Mr DeWine said. “They are responsible for a very serious train wreck that occurred with some very toxic materials. We’re going to hold their feet to the fire. We’re going to make sure they pay for everything moving forward.”

Ohio man forced to evacuate was in Netflix movie about eerily similar disaster

Wednesday 15 February 2023 15:00 , Bevan Hurley

When Ben Ratner was selected to be an extra in the film White Noise — which follows a train that derails and spills toxic chemicals — he could not have known that less than two years later he would be living the movie.

Mr Ratner, 37, lives in East Palestine and is one of the many residents seeking answers after the Ohio train derailment that spilled dangerous chemicals near the town.

The similarity between the film and his real life is not lost on him.

“Talk about art imitating life,” he told People. “This is such a scary situation. And you can just about drive yourself crazy thinking about how uncanny the similarities are between what’s happening now and in that movie.”

Graig Graziosi has the story.

Man evacuated in Ohio derailment was in Netflix movie about eerily similar disaster

Dead animals and reports of sickness as ecological disaster unfolds after Ohio toxic train derailment

Wednesday 15 February 2023 14:40 , Bevan Hurley

The ecological fallout from the derailment of a freight train carrying toxic materials in rural Ohio is still being determined days after the disaster.

Around 50 train cars derailed on 3rd February in the small town of East Palestine including 20 cars carrying hazardous substances.

No one was killed after a broken axle sent the Norfolk Southern train careening off the tracks, investigators said. More than 2,000 residents were evacuated due to health concerns over the chemical leak but have since been allowed to return.

Some of the crashed cars were carrying toxic chemicals - vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether - which were released into the air, surface soils, and surface waters.

The Independent’s Senior Climate Correspondent Louise Boyle reports.

Dead animals and reports of sickness after Ohio train derailment in East Palestine