Mia DeRouchey | Writer
February 24, 2023
Almost 45,000 animals have died as a result of a toxic train derailment in Ohio. 38 train cars were derailed in the accident, 11 of them carrying hazardous materials. The crew attempted to slow the train after being alerted to an overheated wheel bearing but were unsuccessful.
The original accident report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated that the wheel bearing had been overheating while the train traveled through East Palestine, Ohio, but an alarm did not sound to alert the crew to the issue until the train passed a sensor not far from where it derailed.
While this sounds like a technical error, NTSB chair Jennifer Homedy disagrees. “We call things accidents… there is no accident. Every single event we investigate is preventable.” If that is the case, what’s next for the crew? Will they lose their job, or face a case in court? A final report will likely be released in 12 to 18 months, according to Homedy.
After the derailment, officials worried that 5 cars carrying 115,580 gallons of vinyl chloride could potentially explode. Authorities did a controlled burn of the substance, dispatching a black cloud of smoke over East Palestine, where residents are still complaining of feeling ill. A layer of flammable mystery chemicals over your town may have that effect.
The Environmental Protection Agency commanded Norfolk Southern to clean up their mess and pay for it as well. “I think it’s the least they deserve, honestly,” senior Dane Matson said. “They caused it, why shouldn’t they have to fix it?”
But “fixing it” goes beyond just disposing of the chemicals. An estimated 45,000 aquatic creatures have been found dead as a result of the derailment. None of these animals were endangered species, however, and live fish have been returning to waterways affected by the derailment.
Also, in a more political note, Donald Trump made somewhat of a public reappearance, visiting East Palestine a few days after the accident in what seems to be an obvious political stunt. Many are finding his visit ironic, though, due to his past legislative choices. During his time in office, Trump withdrew a proposal that would have required faster brakes on trains, which could have possibly prevented the Norfolk Southern accident before it even happened. The former president likely constructed this political stunt, but he may be helping Biden more than himself.
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