Residents of East Palestine, Ohio File Class-Action Lawsuit Against Norfolk Southern Following Freight Train Derailment

Residents of East Palestine, Ohio are facing the aftermath of a freight train derailment that occurred two weeks ago. The derailment released toxic chemicals into the environment, forcing thousands of locals to evacuate. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Michael Regan, visited the area on Thursday to assess the damage and reassure residents that the water is safe to drink and the air is safe to breathe.

Now, a class-action lawsuit has been filed against Norfolk Southern, the company responsible for the derailment, by the law firm Morgan & Morgan. The suit alleges that the company discharged more cancer-causing Vinyl Chloride into the environment in the course of a week than all industrial emitters combined did in the course of a year. Furthermore, the suit claims that the company chose to burn the vinyl chloride, turning it into a highly toxic gas, rather than disposing of it safely.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of two women living in East Palestine, near the derailment. Since the incident, residents have reported experiencing headaches and irritated eyes, and finding their homes and vehicles covered in a white powder.

The EPA is currently conducting tests to determine the extent of the environmental damage caused by the derailment. In the meantime, the agency is urging residents to take precautions to protect their health, such as avoiding contact with any white powder or residue, and washing their hands and clothing after being outdoors.

The lawsuit against Norfolk Southern is ongoing, and it remains to be seen what the outcome will be. In the meantime, the residents of East Palestine are left to deal with the aftermath of the derailment and its potentially long-term effects.