An irreversible disaster: Ohio’s East Palestine train derailment

On Feb. 3, 2023, a routine Norfolk Southern 150 cart cargo train traveling through Ohio experienced a complete “mechanical failure,” catalyzing one of the worst derailment disasters in modern times. In the accident, 38 carts were derailed in total. 

11 of these carts carried various chemicals, some of which have been classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as choking agents that were outlawed after World War I. These chemicals, if burned, can cause irreversible health complications, including severe conditions like cancer or degenerative diseases. 

At about 8:55 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, the Northern South train experienced an acute mechanical failure, causing the train to race uncontrollably. This culminated when a wheel came loose, derailing the already unstable train. The following crash of 38 carts would cause a reaction to begin brewing within the vehicle, but until Feb. 6, the timeline is unclear. 

On Feb. 6, officials reported that the temperatures of several carts elevated to the point of causing an explosion, obliterating everything within a two-mile radius. This prompted immediate action from Norfolk Southern. The higher-ups of Norfolk decided to administer a “controlled burning” to several of the highly hazardous carts to prevent this explosion. After evacuating all nearby residents, and with the help of the EPA and local officials, the burning commenced for two full days, with dark, billowing smoke clouds visible from up to 100 miles away, and even on NASA’s International Space Station. 

The chemicals in this “controlled burning” were benzene, thylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, vinyl chloride, and isobutylene. The effects of burning these chemicals on humans include dizziness, headaches, neurological issues, nausea, irritation in the throat and lungs, organ damage, and various cancers. 

After two days of burning, the EPA tested the air quality of East Palestine, deeming it to be safe for residents to reenter the town. Regardless of the EPAs findings, residents had doubts upon moving back in, with several residents giving reports of “foul odors,” eye irritation, and their nostrils burning. Hundreds of East Palestine residents soon began exhibiting signs of chemical exposure.

Because of this, some residents went as far as to have the soil from their property tested. Unfortunately, these tests came back with bleak results: the soil of several houses has proved to be highly toxic, absorbing chemical runoff from the “controlled burning,” forcing many streets to become inhospitable and closed off. 

Even with this knowledge, the EPA has gone on record time and time again to state that the air, water, and soil all are safe. Residents do not trust these statements, believing their government to be incompetently prepared to handle a situation of this magnitude. In addition, residents have witnessed, in their everyday environment, fish floating dead in the Ohio River, animals (predominantly birds) dying without a clear cause, and a lingering chemical odor.

Many residents in the area have begun stocking up on essentials like bottled water, contrary to all officials’ reports saying that conditions are perfectly safe.

Though much information about the derailment remains unknown to the public, and the full effects of this catastrophe have not yet been realized, the lack of coverage for the story in major news outlets is troubling to many. As the situation evolves, it is crucial to remain alert and aware of the potential long-term ecological consequences to come.