Residents near East Palestine train derailment reporting rashes, sore throats, headaches
Residents living near the East Palestine train derailment site are reporting a lot of health concerns.
Rashes, sore throats, headaches and runny eyes are the most common complaints 11 News has heard from folks living in and around the original evacuation zone in East Palestine, Ohio and Darlington Township in Beaver County. However, it’s not all physical symptoms. The uncertainty has a lot of people feeling on edge and concerned about their long-term health.
RELATED >>> Man living near East Palestine train derailment site dealing with debris on his property
Folks have also been sharing pictures of the rashes they say they’re experiencing just from being in their homes. Some are so severe they look like chemical burns.
Channel 11 talked to one neighbor, Eric Cozza, who said his wife has an autoimmune disease and her rashes have been so bad, they had to go to the emergency room.
Cozza lives .3 miles from the derailment site. He’s lived in East Palestine his entire life and said he’s never experienced the symptoms he’s now dealing with. He said he won’t let his kids or dogs in the yard because he’s afraid the soil is contaminated.
>>> Vinyl chloride: What we know about the toxic chemical released at East Palestine train derailment
“Headaches, non-stop headaches,” Cozza tells Channel 11. “Yesterday I went to Boardman for roughly two hours. All my symptoms went away. When we got home, they all came back.”
RELATED >>> Pitt scientist with experience studying vinyl chloride shares concerns following train derailment
Cozza says these symptoms are something most of his friends and neighbors are dealing with, despite being told their air and water are safe. He’s been to his own doctor to get a full check-up and bloodwork. He says he concerned because most doctors don’t have tests for most of the chemicals the town is dealing with.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
TRENDING NOW:
1 person shot, car crashes into home in Monroeville; SWAT on scene Jansen Panettiere, voice actor, brother of Hayden Panettiere, dies Central Catholic student detained in Texas, accused of sending threat to plane full of people VIDEO: I-79 work zone changed following several crashes at crossover DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
