By Eli Jordan
On Feb. 2, 38 cars derailed near East Palestine, Ohio at 8:55 EST. Of those 38 cars, 11 of them held hazardous material. The Norfolk Southern freight train was traveling to Conway, Pennsylvania on the Fort Wayne line. On the 1.76 mile train, 20 of the cars contained hazardous materials. The materials were including chloroethene, butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, isobutylene, combustible liquids, and benzene residue. It is believed that a fire was started under a rail car, which ultimately led to the derailment. The 11 hazardous material cars proceeded to dump 100,000 gallons of chemicals into the air and water. The emergency response sent out by the U.S. Environmental Agency began monitoring the air quality on Feb. 3 and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health recommended an exposure limit for butyl acrylate is time-weighed average 10 ppm. The initial burn off is what concerned many Ohio residence within 50 miles of East Palestine. A giant mushroom cloud of smoke rose over the crash site. The cloud was so big it was seen through the clouds.
The water in the nearby Ohio river was affected next. An oil-looking film was seen in the water. Material from the crash was observed in storm drains and detected in samples from Sulphur Run, Leslie Run, Bull Creek, North Fork Little Beaver Creek, Little Beaver Creek, and the Ohio River. Eight surrounding states use this rivers water to drink and eat. 3,500 small fish were directly affected by the chemical spill.
On the evening of Feb. 22, Gov. DeWine, EPA Administrator Regan and Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw appeared at a CNN town hall in East Palestine, and Shaw apologized to the community’s residents. “I’m terribly sorry for what has happened to your community.” He added, “I want you to know that Norfolk Southern is here, and we’re going to stay here. And we’re going to make this right.”
