East Palestine, in Ohio, has been very close to what anyone can imagine is hell.
Twelve days after a train derailment that spilled toxic chemicals and started a spectacular fire, authorities have insisted that citizens consume bottled water to drink until it is confirmed that the public supply is completely safe.
This has only increased concern among residents, who have already been authorized to return to their homes. And despite this decision, the fear of the effects on their health only increases.
The case dates back to February 3 when a train left the tracks in this Ohio town of about 4,700 residents, about fifty miles northwest of Pittsburgh. The convoy was made up of 150 railcars en route from Madison, Wisconsin, to Conway, Pennsylvania. The National Transportation Safety Board reported on the 14th that 38 railcars derailed and twelve others were destroyed by fire.
The train, operated by the Norfolk Southern company, was loaded with chemicals and combustible materials, with vinyl chloride, a toxic flammable gas, the main concern for investigators. The great fire that ensued sent thick, billowing smoke into the sky and over the city. Neighbors from the neighboring territory on both sides between Ohio and Pennsylvania received the evacuation order. There were fears of a possible explosion and massive contamination.
The authorities began on February 6 a controlled release of the toxic material from five tanks. The contents were diverted to a trench of more than 300 meters where they proceeded to burn it.
However, the cause of the accident (possibly a mechanical problem) and the official response to this event are still up in the air, a disaster in which the list of emerging effects is becoming clearer. Water controllers are tracking a large plume of pollutants flowing down the Ohio River. Nearly 4,000 fish, of twelve different species, have been found dead in the course of the local waters and the cleaning teams were proceeding to dig a ditch of about 300 meters around the train because it is a highly contaminated area.
"For now, consuming bottled water is the right answer," Bruce Vanderhoff, Ohio state's director of sanitation, said at a news conference.
Along with issues about drinking water, many residents reflected on the strong smell of chemical products that continued to be registered in the city. Many residents were considering leaving the city, frustrated with how little they know about potential exposure to these toxic products.
"My goal is to clean it up as soon as possible," stressed Governor Mike DeWine to justify the burning of products. The hazardous materials that burned in the wreckage of the train had the potential to be deadly if an evacuation had not been ordered, experts said. The evacuation order was lifted on the 8th, but concerns about the health and environmental disaster remain in force.
