Ohio train derailment - latest: Anger at Biden and Buttigieg for ‘ignoring’ East Palestine chemicals disaster

The devastating consequences of a train derailment in Ohio are still coming into focus more than 11 days after toxic chemicals sparked a massive fire and forced thousands to evacuate.

Some 50 train cars derailed in the town of East Palestine on 3 February, about 20 of them carrying hazardous substances.

More than 2,000 residents evacuated in the aftermath of the derailment have since returned home - but the ecological fallout continues to unfold with reports of people falling ill and animals dropping dead.

New data released by transport company Norfolk Southern revealed the train was carrying more chemicals than initially reported.

In the immediate aftermath of the crash, officials were most concerned about ​​vinyl chloride, a volatile colorless gas.

The new data shows the train was also carrying several other dangerous chemicals, including the carcinogen ethylhexyl acrylate and butyl acrylate.

Calls for action from local leaders up to President Joe Biden continue to mount as the full extent of the disaster grows.

Officials have since confirmed that chemicals from the derailment have seeped into the Ohio River basin, potentially affecting 25 million people.

NTSB determines primary cause of train derailment

10:00 , Graig Graziosi

The NTSB has released its preliminary findings after investigating the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

“NTSB investigators have identified and examined the rail car that initiated the derailment. Surveillance video from a residence showed what appears to be a wheel bearing in the final stage of overheat failure moments before the derailment. The wheelset from the suspected railcar has been collected as evidence for metallurgical examination. The suspected overheated wheel bearing has been collected and will be examined by engineers from the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington, D.C.

The tank cars are currently being decontaminated. Once the process is complete, NTSB investigators will return to Ohio to complete a thorough examination of the tank cars.

The vinyl chloride tank car top fittings, including the relief valves, were removed and secured in a locked intermodal container pending an NTSB examination. Once the fittings are examined by NTSB investigators, they will be shipped to Texas for testing, which will be conducted under the direction of the NTSB.”

The full press statement can be found here.

Chinese official mocks US balloon fascination during an ongoing ecological disaster

09:00 , Graig Graziosi

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying issued a tweet mocking the recent balloon and aerial object controversies that have dominated headlines while an environmental disaster is unfolding in the Rust Belt.

“Apparently some in the US take a wandering civilian balloon as a big threat while the explosive train derailment and toxic chemical leak Not. #OhioChernobyl,” she wrote.

She also mocked the arrest of NewsNation journalist Evan Lambert, asking if it was an example of the “freedom of the press” that is guaranteed in the US Constitution.

Read more:

China mocks US for focusing spy balloon during train derailment

08:00 , Graig Graziosi

Ohio Senator JD Vance is facing criticism for taking 10 days to issue a statement about a train derailment near East Palestine that forced thousands of residents to flee their homes due to a toxic chemical spill.

The 3 February crash sparked a large fire and left hazardous materials including vinyl chloride, a volatile odorless gas, and phosgene seeping into the water supply.

On 13 February, Mr Vance said in a statement released on his Twitter page that he was “horrified” by the crash.

He said that “many questions remain” about when it will be safe for residents to return to East Palestine.

Mr Vance added that the crash was part of a troubling trend of “catastrophic infrastructure problems in our country” and that he was committed to understanding the long-term environmental impacts.

Read more:

JD Vance slammed for delayed reaction to Ohio train derailment: ‘Gibberish’

Congressman Jim Jordan accuses US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg of not discussing Ohio train derailment

07:00 , Graig Graziosi

Republican Congressman Jim Jordan accused US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg of ignoring the Norfolk Southern train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio.

“Secretary Buttigieg laughing about Chinese spy balloons, while ignoring the Ohio train derailment, shows you how out of touch Democrats are,” he wrote.

Mr Buttigieg replied later on Tuesday, stating that the USDOT was and has been working with officials in East Palestine since the accident to help ensure the safety of the residents and the environment.

06:00 , Graig Graziosi

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.”

Read more:

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

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

04:59 , Graig Graziosi

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

A Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials careened off the tracks on 3 February after suffering a broken axle, investigators later determined.

No one was harmed in the incident but around 50 cars came off the rails as a result of the accident, around 20 of which were carrying toxic chemicals, prompting more than 2,000 local residents to be temporarily evacuated from the area due to health concerns arising from the leak.

Read more:

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

04:00 , Graig Graziosi

Pittsburgh Water and Sewer confirmed in a Twitter post that ground water in East Palestine, Ohio — the site of a catastrophic Norfolk Southern train derailment that spilled hazardous chemicals — would not contaminate the city’s water.

“As the source of potential water contamination is far downstream from our intakes, there is no direct water quality impact from the East Palestine train derailment to our water supply on the Allegheny River,” the agency said in the post.

Pittsburgh is approximately 50 miles from East Palestine.

Data shows more chemicals than initially reported at train derailment

03:00 , Graig Graziosi

Data released by transport company Norfolk Southern revealed the train which derailed on 3 February was carrying more chemicals than initially reported.

In the immediate aftermath of the crash, officials were most concerned about ​​vinyl chloride, a volatile colorless gas intended for commercial uses.

The new data shows the train was also carrying several other dangerous chemicals, including the carcinogen ethylhexyl acrylate and butyl acrylate.

Other toxins, including phosgene and hydrogen chloride, were emitted in large plumes of smoke during a controlled release and burn following the derailment.

Phosgene is a gas that was deployed as a chemical weapon in the First World War.

The various chemicals are known to cause burning and irritation of the skin and eyes. Inhalation can irritate the nose and throat, causing shortness of breath and coughing.

EPA confirms chemicals in Ohio River basin

02:00 , Graig Graziosi

The risks posed by the 3 February train derailment have extended far beyond the small town of East Palestine as chemicals seep into the air, ground and water.

The Environmental Protection Agency has now confirmed the presence of butyl acrylate in the Ohio River basin, which is home to around 25 million people.

The discovery has prompted communities far and wide to keep a close eye on their water supply for signs of contamination.

As of Monday, officials said levels of butyl acrylate were “very very low”.

01:00 , Graig Graziosi

Erin Brockovich has hit out at Joe Biden and told him to “step up” actions after the train derailment in eastern Ohio and the subsequent release of toxic chemicals has sparked health concerns and left farm animals dropping dead.

The renowned whistleblower, environmental activist, consumer advocate and subject of an Oscar-winning film, said the US president needed to be “more involved”.

Ms Brockovich was referring to the 3 February incident when a train operated by Norfolk Southern Railway derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, causing a major fire near the track.

“Doing better than your predecessor, is not doing enough,” Ms Brockovich tweeted on Monday.

“The Biden administration needs to get more involved in this #PalestineOhio train derailment now. We are counting on you to break the chain of administration after administration to turn a blind eye. STEP UP NOW.”

Read more:

Erin Brockovich asks Biden to ‘step up’ as animals drop dead after Ohio fallout

00:00 , Graig Graziosi

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 3 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.

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.

Five rail car tankers of vinyl chloride were intentionally breached by crews, and the substance diverted to an excavated trench. A controlled detonation was then carried out to prevent an explosion, sending noxious black clouds billowing across the area. One of the substances released was phosgene, a gas deployed as a chemical weapon in the First World War.

Environmental remediation work was ongoing, Norfolk Southern reported last week, along with air, soil, and water monitoring in coordination with state and federal agencies. Regulators have said that so far the air quality remains safe and drinking water supplies have not been affected in surrounding communities.

But in the ten days since the disaster, a number of troubling reports have emerged. Some residents have spoken of headaches and feeling sick.

The Independent’s chief climate correspondent Louise Boyle reports:

Dead animals and reports of sickness after Ohio toxic train derailment

Environmental heath expert says vinyl chloride can have ‘persistent’ effects

Tuesday 14 February 2023 23:02 , Graig Graziosi

Richard Peltier, an associate professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, told CNN that vinyl chloride, the gas that was vented following the East Palestine train derailment in Ohio, can have persistent effects on the environment.

“Vinyl chloride, however, has a specific and important risk in that is contains a bunch of chlorine molecules, which can form some really awful combustion byproducts,” Mr Peltier said. “These are often very toxic and often very persistent in the environment.”

Ohio EPA says initial spill did reach Ohio River

Tuesday 14 February 2023 20:36 , Graig Graziosi

Officials with the Ohio EPA said that a spill from the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, did reach the Ohio River.

However, she noted that the contaminants were in low enough level that the river diluted them and said that downriver communities would not be at risk. The Ohio EPA has been monitoring water quality throughout the region and has not found contaminant levels at any levels they’ve deemed concerning.

ODNR says 3,500 fish died after train derailment, but it appears the die-offs have stopped

Tuesday 14 February 2023 20:32 , Graig Graziosi

Ohio Department of Natural Resources discussed reports that thousands of fish have died in Columbiana County, where East Palestine is located, in the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment near the village.

“What we have discovered ... is that very early on, about 3,5000 dead fish” were found from 12 species across the region.

None of the species are endangered.

The department is monitoring to see if any hellbenders, which are endangered and state protected, have died as a result.

The ODNR said there were no new discoveries of fish die-offs in the days after the first 3,500 fish were found dead.

Ohio Governor — Norfolk Southern CEO commits to staying in East Palestine until crash fallout completely cleaned

Tuesday 14 February 2023 20:27 , Graig Graziosi

Governor Mike DeWine told reporters Tuesday that he spoke with Alan Shaw, the CEO of Norfolk Southern, and asked him if he would commit to keeping company workers in East Palestine until the fallout of the crash was completely cleaned up. He said he asked if “the railroad woiuld stay there until absolutely everything was cleaned up ... he gave me his word, his commitment that the railroad would do that.”He also said he received a call from President Biden last week and assured him that any help he needed from the federal government if Ohio needed any help.

Mr DeWine said the state responders would stay in East Palestine until all of the cleanup is done.

Ohio Governor says he was told likelihood train would explode was ‘high’ and ‘catastrophic'

Tuesday 14 February 2023 20:20 , Graig Graziosi

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine told reporters Tuesday that he was told by rail officials that there was a “high” probability that the train cars that derailed near East Palestine would explode in a “catastrophic” blase that would send shrapnel up to a mile away.

He said the choice to vent and burn the flammable chemicals was the safer option to prevent further destruction.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addresses Ohio train derailment after pressure for comment

Tuesday 14 February 2023 19:57 , Graig Graziosi

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has addressed the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio that resulted in the venting and burning of hazardous gases and a mandatory evacuation of the village.

“From day one, our USDOT personnel have been assisting in the response to the Norfolk Southern derailment in Ohio,” he wrote. “As NTSB conducts its investigation and EPA works to keep residents safe, our Federal Rail and Pipeline and Hazardous Material teams will continue to offer support.”

Earlier today, Congressman Jim Jordan called out Mr Buttigieg for discussing the Chinese spy balloon but not commenting on the train derailment.

Estimated 3,500 fish killed in the wake of Ohio train derailment

Tuesday 14 February 2023 19:30 , Graig Graziosi

Reports indicate that an estimated 3,500 fish were found dead in Columbiana County, where East Palestine, Ohio is located, in the days after a catastrophic train derailment spilled hazardous chemicals into the area.

The report come from the Cincinatti Inquirer, citing the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Tuesday 14 February 2023 19:01 , Graig Graziosi

The NTSB has released its preliminary findings after investigating the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

“NTSB investigators have identified and examined the rail car that initiated the derailment. Surveillance video from a residence showed what appears to be a wheel bearing in the final stage of overheat failure moments before the derailment. The wheelset from the suspected railcar has been collected as evidence for metallurgical examination. The suspected overheated wheel bearing has been collected and will be examined by engineers from the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington, D.C.

The tank cars are currently being decontaminated. Once the process is complete, NTSB investigators will return to Ohio to complete a thorough examination of the tank cars.

The vinyl chloride tank car top fittings, including the relief valves, were removed and secured in a locked intermodal container pending an NTSB examination. Once the fittings are examined by NTSB investigators, they will be shipped to Texas for testing, which will be conducted under the direction of the NTSB.”

The full press statement can be found here.

Chinese official mocks US balloon fascination during an ongoing ecological disaster

Tuesday 14 February 2023 18:40 , Graig Graziosi

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying issued a tweet mocking the recent balloon and aerial object controversies that have dominated headlines while an environmental disaster is unfolding in the Rust Belt.

“Apparently some in the US take a wandering civilian balloon as a big threat while the explosive train derailment and toxic chemical leak Not. #OhioChernobyl,” she wrote.

She also mocked the arrest of NewsNation journalist Evan Lambert, asking if it was an example of the “freedom of the press” that is guaranteed in the US Constitution.

JD Vance slammed for delayed reaction to Ohio train derailment: ‘Gibberish’

Tuesday 14 February 2023 17:58 , Graig Graziosi

Ohio Senator JD Vance is facing criticism for taking 10 days to issue a statement about a train derailment near East Palestine that forced thousands of residents to flee their homes due to a toxic chemical spill.

The 3 February crash sparked a large fire and left hazardous materials including vinyl chloride, a volatile odorless gas, and phosgene seeping into the water supply.

On 13 February, Mr Vance said in a statement released on his Twitter page that he was “horrified” by the crash.

He said that “many questions remain” about when it will be safe for residents to return to East Palestine.

Mr Vance added that the crash was part of a troubling trend of “catastrophic infrastructure problems in our country” and that he was committed to understanding the long-term environmental impacts.

Read more:

JD Vance slammed for delayed reaction to Ohio train derailment: ‘Gibberish’

Congressman Jim Jordan calls out US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for not discussing Ohio train derailment

Tuesday 14 February 2023 17:19 , Graig Graziosi

Republican Congressman Jim Jordan accused US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg of ignoring the Norfolk Southern train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio.

“Secretary Buttigieg laughing about Chinese spy balloons, while ignoring the Ohio train derailment, shows you how out of touch Democrats are,” he wrote.

Man forced to evacuate in Ohio train derailment and chemical spill was in movie about eerily similar disaster

Tuesday 14 February 2023 16:42 , Graig Graziosi

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.”

Read more:

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

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

Tuesday 14 February 2023 16:20 , Graig Graziosi

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

A Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials careened off the tracks on 3 February after suffering a broken axle, investigators later determined.

No one was harmed in the incident but around 50 cars came off the rails as a result of the accident, around 20 of which were carrying toxic chemicals, prompting more than 2,000 local residents to be temporarily evacuated from the area due to health concerns arising from the leak.

Read more:

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

Pittsburgh Water and Sewer confirms that possible water contamination in East Palestine would not threaten city water

Tuesday 14 February 2023 16:08 , Graig Graziosi

Pittsburgh Water and Sewer confirmed in a Twitter post that ground water in East Palestine, Ohio — the site of a catastrophic Norfolk Southern train derailment that spilled hazardous chemicals — would not contaminate the city’s water.

“As the source of potential water contamination is far downstream from our intakes, there is no direct water quality impact from the East Palestine train derailment to our water supply on the Allegheny River,” the agency said in the post.

Pittsburgh is approximately 50 miles from East Palestine.

Man who was once extra in a movie about a freight train catastrophe is now experiencing it for real in East Palestine

Tuesday 14 February 2023 15:23 , Graig Graziosi

Ben Ratner, a 37-year-old father of four, was an extra in the film adapatation of Don DeLilo’s White Noise, which follows a train derailment and catastrophic chemical spill.

In a strange turn of fate, Mr Ratner also happens to be a resident of East Palestine, Ohio, where a real life train derailment has caused a catastrophic chemical spill.

“Talk about art imitating life,” Mr Ratner 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.”

New data shows more chemicals than initially reported

Tuesday 14 February 2023 14:00 , Megan Sheets

New data released by transport company Norfolk Southern revealed the train which derailed on 3 February was carrying more chemicals than initially reported.

In the immediate aftermath of the crash, officials were most concerned about ​​vinyl chloride, a volatile colorless gas intended for commercial uses.

The new data shows the train was also carrying several other dangerous chemicals, including the carcinogen ethylhexyl acrylate and butyl acrylate.

Other toxins, including phosgene and hydrogen chloride, were emitted in large plumes of smoke during a controlled release and burn following the derailment.

Phosgene is a gas that was deployed as a chemical weapon in the First World War.

The various chemicals are known to cause burning and irritation of the skin and eyes. Inhalation can irritate the nose and throat, causing shortness of breath and coughing.

EPA confirms chemicals in Ohio River basin

Tuesday 14 February 2023 13:50 , Megan Sheets

The risks posed by the 3 February train derailment have extended far beyond the small town of East Palestine as chemicals seep into the air, ground and water.

The Environmental Protection Agency has now confirmed the presence of butyl acrylate in the Ohio River basin, which is home to around 25 million people.

The discovery has prompted communities far and wide to keep a close eye on their water supply for signs of contamination.

As of Monday, officials said levels of butyl acrylate were “very very low”.

Erin Brockovich tells Biden to ‘step up’ response to derailment

Tuesday 14 February 2023 13:40 , Megan Sheets

Erin Brockovich has hit out at Joe Biden and told him to “step up” actions after the train derailment in eastern Ohio and the subsequent release of toxic chemicals has sparked health concerns and left farm animals dropping dead.

The renowned whistleblower, environmental activist, consumer advocate and subject of an Oscar-winning film, said the US president needed to be “more involved”.

Ms Brockovich was referring to the 3 February incident when a train operated by Norfolk Southern Railway derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, causing a major fire near the track.

“Doing better than your predecessor, is not doing enough,” Ms Brockovich tweeted on Monday.

“The Biden administration needs to get more involved in this #PalestineOhio train derailment now. We are counting on you to break the chain of administration after administration to turn a blind eye. STEP UP NOW.”

Read more:

Ecological disaster continues to unfold 11 days after train derailment

Tuesday 14 February 2023 13:26 , Graig Graziosi

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 3 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.

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.

Five rail car tankers of vinyl chloride were intentionally breached by crews, and the substance diverted to an excavated trench. A controlled detonation was then carried out to prevent an explosion, sending noxious black clouds billowing across the area. One of the substances released was phosgene, a gas deployed as a chemical weapon in the First World War.

Environmental remediation work was ongoing, Norfolk Southern reported last week, along with air, soil, and water monitoring in coordination with state and federal agencies. Regulators have said that so far the air quality remains safe and drinking water supplies have not been affected in surrounding communities.

But in the ten days since the disaster, a number of troubling reports have emerged. Some residents have spoken of headaches and feeling sick.

The Independent’s chief climate correspondent Louise Boyle reports:

Dead animals and reports of sickness after Ohio toxic train derailment

Tuesday 14 February 2023 23:34 , Graig Graziosi

Ohio Senator JD Vance is facing criticism for taking 10 days to issue a statement about a train derailment near East Palestine that forced thousands of residents to flee their homes due to a toxic chemical spill.

The 3 February crash sparked a large fire and left hazardous materials including vinyl chloride, a volatile odorless gas, and phosgene seeping into the water supply.

On 13 February, Mr Vance said in a statement released on his Twitter page that he was “horrified” by the crash.

He said that “many questions remain” about when it will be safe for residents to return to East Palestine.

Mr Vance added that the crash was part of a troubling trend of “catastrophic infrastructure problems in our country” and that he was committed to understanding the long-term environmental impacts.

Read more:

JD Vance slammed for delayed reaction to Ohio train derailment: ‘Gibberish’