171 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

Associated Press, 2/5/23

 

Evacuations urged in Ohio town as train wreck smolders

 

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — A smoldering tangle of dozens of derailed freight cars, some carrying hazardous materials, has kept an evacuation order in effect in Ohio near the Pennsylvania state line as environmental authorities warily watch air quality monitors.

 

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Mayor Trent Conaway, who declared a state of emergency in the village, said one person was arrested for going around barricades right up to the crash during the night. He warned that more arrests would follow if people did not to stay away.

 

 

More here with photo album.

[CNJRoss]

NTSB Media Brief 2: Norfolk Southern Freight Train Derailment (02/04/23)

 

NTSBgov

 

February 5, 2023: NTSB Board Member Michael Graham briefs media on the 02/03/2023 Norfolk Southern freight train derailment near East Palestine, Ohio.

 

 

 

NTSB B-Roll: Train Derailment in East Palestine, OH

 

NTSBgov

 

February 5, 2023: NTSB Investigators conduct Unmanned Aircraft System operations for the Norfolk Southern freight train derailment near East Palestine, Ohio.

 

[KevinKorell]

Capitol Limited is now cancelled for both directions originating on Monday, Feb 6th.  Sounds like this will take a while to clean up and fix.

[CNJRoss]

Associated Press, 2/6/232

 

Officials urge evacuation near derailment, fearing explosion

 

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — Officials monitoring the smoldering, tangled wreckage of a train derailment in northeastern Ohio urgently warned hundreds of nearby residents who had declined to evacuate to do so Sunday night, saying a rail car was at risk of a potential explosion that could launch deadly shrapnel as far as a mile.

 

They warned of “the potential of a catastrophic tanker failure” after a “drastic temperature change” was observed in that rail car, according to a statement from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s office that said teams were working to prevent an explosion at the scene in East Palestine. It did not specify what was in that car or whether it was among those that had been carrying hazardous materials.

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[CNJRoss]

Associated Press, 2/6/23

Ohio authorities plan “controlled release” of toxic material

 

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — Authorities in Ohio say they plan to release toxic chemicals from five cars of a derailed train in Ohio to reduce the threat of an explosion.

 

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says a “controlled release” of vinyl chloride will take place on Monday at 3:30 p.m.

 

Residents near the site have been ordered to evacuate. DeWine said residents who were ordered to evacuate need to leave the area because of the risk of death or serious injury. Officials believe most if not all have already have left.

 

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[CNJRoss]

NBC News, 2/6/23

 

Controlled chemical release scheduled to prevent explosion in wake of Ohio train derailment

 

The release has the potential to be deadly if inhaled, prompting officials on Monday to order an immediate evacuation of a 1-mile by 2-mile area surrounding East Palestine that includes parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania.

 

 

Three days after a 150-car train derailed in northeastern Ohio, and risked exploding due to chemicals on board, authorities have announced a planned chemical release.

 

Evacuations had already been underway over the weekend within a 1-mile radius of the crash in the village of East Palestine since the crash was reported at 8:55 p.m. Friday.

 

It's not clear what caused the train to derail, but since it did, the crash site has produced multiple small explosions after multiple cars believed to be transporting hazardous materials erupted in the derailment and continued to burn Sunday morning.

 

 

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[CNJRoss]

NPR 2/6/23

 

Ohio crews conduct a 'controlled release' of toxic chemicals from derailed train cars

 

Crews in Ohio have begun to release hazardous chemicals from five cars of a train that derailed amid fears of a "catastrophic" explosion.

 

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What officials also called a "controlled explosion" began on Monday afternoon with reports of a loud boom and large plume of black smoke seen. Scott Deutsch of Norfolk Southern Railroad said the process entails creating a small hole in one of the tank cars and allowing substances to go down into a pit which will then be lit on fire.

 

 

 

More here with photo.

[CNJRoss]

CNN, 2/6/23

 

Controlled release of toxic chemical from train that derailed in Ohio starts with boom and black smoke

 

A large plume of black smoke could be seen in the area. The controlled release process was originally supposed to begin at 3:30 p.m., but was delayed for unknown reasons.

 

CNN — The controlled release of hazardous materials at a train derailment site in East Palestine, Ohio, began Monday afternoon when a boom was followed by a new, large plume of black smoke.

 

The breach of several rail cars was completed successfully, according to a news release from Norfolk Southern. The operation to burn off the materials from the cars should take several hours, the company had said.

 

Five of the train cars, which derailed Friday, are carrying vinyl chloride – a chemical that is currently unstable and could explode, hurling toxic fumes into the air and shooting deadly shrapnel as far as a mile away, officials said earlier.

 

Scott Deutsch with Norfolk Southern said small, shaped charges would be used to blow a small hole in each rail car. The vinyl chloride would then spill into a trench where flares would ignite and burn it away.

 

 

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[CNJRoss]

[NSAlert] Service Alert - Derailment at East Palestine, OH

 

February 6, 2023

 

Efforts continue to restore service following the train derailment that occurred in East Palestine, OH on February 3rd.  There is still no estimate on when service will be returned to the route and alternate routes continue to be used in an effort to minimize shipment and availability delays. These routes will add additional time to transit and customers should expect delays of at least 24 hours on shipments moving between Cleveland and the Northeast via Pittsburgh, PA. 

 

Norfolk Southern will continue to provide updates as available.

 

[CNJRoss]

WEWS-TV (News 5), Cleveland, OH 2/6/23

 

Crews perform controlled release at train derailment site; massive fireball, smoke plume rises from wreckage

 

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — A fire is still burning at the site of a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border. Crews at the scene Monday night did a controlled release and burn of toxic chemicals from the train cars. A massive fireball and a thick plume of black smoke could be seen from the wreckage, which has been there since the crash on Friday night.

 

"It’s basically a mushroom cloud," said Josh Munyon, East Palestine resident. "Really no other way to describe it."

 

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Once the fire cools down, crews will move in to start the clean up. Shapiro and Gov. Mike DeWine have been in contact, he said, and a plan is being formulated to get nearby residents, who were displaced due to an evacuation, back to their homes. No timetable has been announced to bring the residents back at this time.

 

"If anyone wants to come down here, don’t," Daily added. "It’s not safe right now."

 

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The map below shows the one to two-mile area that could have been affected by the controlled release. This area is in both Ohio and Pennsylvania.

 

Gov. Mike DeWine's office

Map from the governor's office showing the area that will be affected by a controlled release and burn of toxic chemicals from a derailed train near East Palestine. Based on current weather patterns and the expected flow of the smoke and fumes, anyone who remains in the red affected area is facing grave danger of death. Anyone who remains in the yellow impacted area is at a high risk of severe injury, including skin burns and serious lung damage.

 

 

More here with video report and additional videos.