Key takeaways:
- Five tanker cars carrying vinyl chloride were in danger of exploding and had to be released into the air.
- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ordered evacuations in the area of the derailment.
- The train’s operator, Norfolk Southern, reported that the release was “successfully completed” and no injuries have been reported.
Authorities have completed the release of toxic chemicals from a train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on Friday night. Five tanker cars carrying vinyl chloride, a toxic and flammable gas used to produce vehicle interiors and PVC piping, were in danger of exploding and had to be released into the air.
The release began Monday afternoon after officials warned residents near the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line to leave immediately or face the possibility of death. Flames and black smoke billowed high into the sky from the derailment site late in the afternoon, about an hour after authorities said the controlled release would begin.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine had earlier ordered evacuations in the area of the derailment, which had been smoldering since Friday night. Authorities believe most, if not all, residents in the danger zone have left, but they were knocking on doors one more time before releasing the vinyl chloride.
The train’s operator, Norfolk Southern, reported that the release was “successfully completed.” The cause of the derailment is still under investigation.
No injuries have been reported, and the exact amount of vinyl chloride released into the air is still unknown. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is monitoring air quality in the area and will provide updates as they become available.
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