On Feb. 3 a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio occurred. With locals beginning to fear for their safety, many are also starting to ascertain this tragedy as one of the biggest environmental disasters in American history.
Here is everything you need to know.
In footage obtained by the Washington Post, security cameras were able to capture the train beginning to have mechanical problems as the wheels on one of the cars began to give out shortly before losing full control. The Norfolk Southern train had about 38 cars total and derailed from its tracks on the evening of Feb. 3, around 9 p.m. 11 of those cars contained various hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride.
The National Transportation Safety Board has released a list of the other chemicals that were being carried. However, vinyl chloride appears to be the most dangerous, as the chemical emits specific compounds that are toxic to people. Exposure to these hazardous materials can cause irritation of the eyes and throat, as well as dizziness, nausea, and even life-threatening diseases such as cancer.
The town boarding Pennsylvania, consisting of 4,700 residents, has many taking extreme precautions to protect themselves and their families. However, taking such precautions are also putting a dent in the normalcy of the community. According to local news outlets, several individuals are choosing not to send their children to school, calling in from work causing them to lose their jobs, and standing in a line for hours to get some kind of cash compensation given by the rail company.
As of now there are no official charities to help those affected, but you can find many accounts, verified and unverified, to donate to for this disaster on GoFundMe.