Ohio residents who were evacuated after the train derailed are permitted to return to their homes.
After a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in northeastern Ohio, caught fire, and sparked fears of a potential explosion, authorities assured evacuees that it was safe to return to their homes.
Ohio Residents Approved Return Of Residents
In a press release, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine stated, “Air quality samples in the area of the wreckage and in nearby residential neighborhoods consistently showed readings below safety screening levels for contaminants of concern.”
State and local health officials determined based on this information that it is now safe for community members to return to their homes. Local officials and agencies will continue to monitor the air quality.
Norfolk Southern Railroad, the rail operator, hired an independent contractor to collaborate with officials and the EPA to collect air quality samples and provide residents with the results at no cost.
However, more than a week after the derailment, one resident Maura Todd remains unconvinced.
Todd said she was misled by her family’s weekend-long headaches and nausea as well as the offensive smell that reminds her of a mixture of nail polish remover and burning tires.
She was preparing to leave East Palestine, Ohio, and move to Kentucky with her family and her three miniature Schnauzers on Saturday, according to Todd.
Federal and local authorities repeatedly assured residents that the water supply was uncontaminated and that the air quality was safe after the derailment.She was preparing to leave East Palestine, Ohio, and move to Kentucky with her family and her three miniature Schnauzers on Saturday, according to Todd.
Federal and local authorities repeatedly assured residents that the water supply was uncontaminated and that the air quality was safe after the derailment.
Read more: Apple’s iPhone 13 is the third most shipped product; Indian smartphone market declines
Train Derailment
However, more than a week after the Norfolk Southern train derailed, sparking an explosion that spread smoke and flames across parts of the village and prompted authorities to release a toxic plume, locals told The Post that they had not yet seen a complete list of the chemicals on board the train when it veered off course.
A week after contaminants spilled into nearby streams and the air, locals and experts told The Post that they are unsure whether it is safe for them to go back to their homes.
State officials advised residents returning to their homes in a nearby Pennsylvania town to open their windows, turn on fans, and wipe down all surfaces with diluted bleach. Dead fish had been seen in some waterways, a state official confirmed at a news briefing.
On February 3, at 9 pm, 50 of a 141-car Norfolk Southern train derailed, causing a significant fire near some dangerous chemicals to start that kept firefighters away for days.
The National Transportation Safety Board has stated that the derailment, which did not result in any injuries, was most likely caused by mechanical problems on one of the rail axles.
Read more: eBay will layoff 500 workers; Those affected will be notified within 24 hours
