2023 Ohio train accident

Coordinates: 40°50′10″N 80°31′22″W / 40.8360°N 80.5227°W / 40.8360; -80.5227
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2023 Ohio train accident
Map
Location of the derailment
Details
DateFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
8:55 p.m. EST (UTC−5)
LocationEast Palestine, Ohio
Coordinates40°50′10″N 80°31′22″W / 40.8360°N 80.5227°W / 40.8360; -80.5227
CountryUnited States
OperatorNorfolk Southern
Incident typeDerailment
CauseUnder investigation

On February 3, 2023, a train accident happened in East Palestine, Ohio, at 8.55pm EST (UTC−5). A train carrying dangerous chemicals derailed.[1] Several of the 38 railcars caught fire, and started to burn. Some burned for more than two days. Emergency crews burned several of them in a controlled fire.[2] This fire released hydrogen chloride and phosgene into the air.[1] Phosgene is used only in specially equipped plants. Today, it is used to produce certain plastics, and other chemicals, such as dyes. In the past, it was also used as a chemical weapon. For this reason, the residents within a 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) radius were evacuated. Emergency response was started from agencies in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. East Palestine is about half way between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

Background[change | change source]

The derailed train was running from Madison, Illinois to Conway, Pennsylvania, on the Fort Wayne Line. Aboard the 9,300-foot-long (1.76 mi; 2.8 km) train[3] were an engineer, conductor, and conductor trainee.[4] The train consisted of 141 loaded cars and 9 empty ones.[5] Other reports say there was one more car, for a total of 151 cars, weighing 18,000 tons.[6]

Of those cars, 20 were carrying dangrous materials, including chloroethene (vinyl chloride), butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, isobutylene, flammable liquids, and benzene residue.[7][8][9] The train left Madison on February 1, and had had at least one mechanical failure before the derailment.[10]

Derailment[change | change source]

Smoke from the accident, on February 3

Security footage from a business in Salem, Ohio (20 miles [32 km] northwest from East Palestine), and a Ring doorbell camera from New Waterford, Ohio (4 miles [6 km] northwest from East Palestine), show fire coming from underneath a rail car.[11][12] After this, at around 8:55 pm EST on February 3, 2023, 51 cars derailed on the east side of town, near the border with Pennsylvania. 49 of the cars ended up in a derailment pile, which caught fire and burned for several days.[13][14] Of the 51 derailed cars, 11 were tank cars which dumped 100,000 gallons of hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride, benzene residue, and butyl acrylate.[15][16][17]

About 48 hours later, the NTSB released a first report that stated that the derailment was caused by a mechanical problem on one of the railcars' trucks. [18][4] This may be connected to reports that an axle was observed throwing sparks about an hour before.[19] The crew received an alarm from a wayside defect detector shortly before the derailment indicating a mechanical problem, and then an emergency brake application initiated.[20]

Emergency response and burn off[change | change source]

The crash site on February 5

Nearly 70 emergency agencies from Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania mobilized in response.[21] East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway declared a state of emergency.[22]

Norfolk Southern personnel were first to respond on February 3.[23] On February 4, they noticed water spillage into Sulphur Run and Leslie Run, and installed barriers to separate the floating pollutant. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began monitoring air quality on February 3. They said humans can smell butyl acrylate at a concentration lower than the screening level (exposure limit).[24] The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended exposure limit for butyl acrylate is time-weighted average 10 ppm (55 mg/m3).[25]

On February 5, the temperature changed in one of the train cars. This caused fears of an explosion with the potential to disperse shrapnel as the fires continued to burn.[14] Although five cars containing vinyl chloride remained intact after the crash,[26] the relief valve on one of the cars had malfunctioned.[27] Ohio Governor Mike DeWine activated the Ohio National Guard to assist local authorities in what he called "a matter of life and death".[14][28] Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro ordered an evacuation in areas of Beaver County which bordered the site.[21] Officials in both states went door-to-door to evacuate residents.[29] The fire from the accident burned until February 5.[24]

  • Air monitoring device
    Air monitoring device
  • Workers digging up a creek and filtering the water at the entrance to a park
    Workers digging up a creek and filtering the water at the entrance to a park

Reactions[change | change source]

Commentary following the derailment centered around industry working conditions and safety concerns, such as the lack of modern brake safety regulations,[30] the implementation of precision scheduled railroading (PSR),[31] had reduced railway workers per train, and increased train lengths and weight. Critics said that train companies had failed to invest in train maintenance to prevent accidents, even though they conduct stock buybacks, in which money that could be used on maintenance and safety measures is instead distributed to shareholders.[32][33]

On February 14, Governor Mike DeWine told reporters that he was not seeing any problems in the area after the controlled release of chemicals and that President Joe Biden had offered federal assistance but DeWine said that no further assistance was necessary.[34][35]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Ohio catastrophe is 'wake-up call' to dangers of deadly train derailments". The Guardian. February 11, 2023. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  2. ↑ Orsagos, Patrick; Seewer, John (February 6, 2023). "Crews release toxic chemicals from derailed tankers in Ohio". Associated Press. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  3. ↑ Tomasic, Megan (February 5, 2023). "Officials urge evacuation near East Palestine train derailment, fearing 'catastrophic failure' may be imminent". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "NTSB confirms rail car axle issue caused Norfolk Southern train derailment". WFMJ. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  5. ↑ Rodriguez, Jennifer (February 6, 2023). "What caused the derailment". WKBN. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2023. During the presser, Graham said the train was carrying 141 load cars, nine empty cars and three locomotives, which are used to pull the train.
  6. ↑ Kaplan, Michael (February 15, 2023). "Excess size caused train to break down in days before it derailed in Ohio, employees say". CBS News. Retrieved February 15, 2023. The employees say there were concerns among those working on the train over what they believed was the train's excessive length and weight – 151 cars, 9,300 feet long, 18,000 tons
  7. ↑ Stalnecker, Sydney. "Norfolk Southern releases list of chemicals carried by derailed train". WFMJ. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  8. ↑ Boyle, Louise (February 13, 2023). "Dead animals and reports of sickness as ecological disaster unfolds after Ohio toxic train derailment". The Independent. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  9. ↑ Rodriguez, Jennifer (February 13, 2023). "'We basically nuked a town': 3 additional chemicals discovered in East Palestine train derailment". WKBN. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  10. ↑ Bentley, John (February 16, 2023). "Excess weight and length caused train to break down in days before it derailed in Ohio, employees say". Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  11. ↑ Video appears to show Ohio train on fire 20 miles before derailing. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  12. ↑ "New video shows what may have happened to cause East Palestine train derailment". WPXI. February 9, 2023. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  13. ↑ Guise, Michael. "Train derailment causes massive fire in East Palestine, Ohio". CBS News. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "Controlled chemical release scheduled to prevent explosion in the wake of Ohio train derailment". NBC News. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  15. ↑ PBS News Hour. Event occurs at 3:25. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Train 32N - East Palestine - derail list Norfolk Southern document" (PDF). Environmental Protection Agency. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023. For a list of related EPA documents, which includes this one, see "East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment Emergency Response". United States Environmental Protection Agency. February 28, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  17. ↑ "NTSB Issues Investigative Update on Ohio Train Derailment". National Transportation Safety Board. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Derailment of Norfolk Southern Freight with Hazardous Materials Release (NTSB Investigation Number: RRD23MR005)". National Transportation Safety Board. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  19. ↑ Mokay, Erica (February 10, 2023). "Video shows sparks and flames 20 miles before train derailment in East Palestine". KDKA-TV. Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  20. ↑ Graham, Michael (February 5, 2023). NTSB Media Brief 2: Norfolk Southern Freight Train Derailment (02/05/23). Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "East Palestine Train Derailment: Evacuation order lifted as officials say air and water samples show it's safe". CBS News. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  22. ↑ Riess, Rebekah (February 4, 2023). "50-car train derailment sparks massive fire, mandatory evacuation order in Ohio". KGO-TV. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Site Profile – East Palestine Train Derailment – EPA OSC Response". response.epa.gov. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Site Profile – East Palestine Train Derailment – EPA OSC Response". United States Environmental Protection Agency. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  25. ↑ NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. "#0075". National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
  26. ↑ Graziosi, Graig (February 15, 2023). "Train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio: All we know about affected areas and a cancer-causing chemical". The Independent. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023 – via Yahoo! News.
  27. ↑ Salahieh, Nouran (February 7, 2023). "5 derailed train cars carrying hazardous material at risk of exploding are no longer burning, official says". CNN. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Slowly releasing chemicals from the derailed train in Ohio could prevent an explosion". 90.5 WESA. February 6, 2023. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Evacuation order lifted in East Palestine". February 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  30. ↑ Sirota, David; Rock, Julia; Burns, Rebecca; Cunningham-Cook, Matthew (February 9, 2023). "Rail Companies Blocked Safety Rules Before Ohio Derailment". The Lever. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  31. ↑ Johnson, Jake (February 7, 2023). "Rail Workers Blame Fiery Train Crash in Ohio on Wall Street Profit-Seeking". Common Dreams. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023. Matthew Jinoo Buck, a senior fellow at the American Economic Liberties Project, explained in The American Prospect last year that 'using PSR, railroad management's job is to drive down the "operating ratio", or operating expenses as a percentage of revenue.'
  32. ↑ "Fiery Ohio Train Wreck the Result of 'PSR'" (Press release). Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  33. ↑ Goodman, Amy (February 14, 2023). "Bomb Train" in Ohio Sickens Residents After Railroad Cutbacks, Corporate Greed Led to Toxic Disaster. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  34. ↑ "Ohio's DeWine says he has not taken up Biden on offer of 'anything you need' in wake of train derailment disaster". MarketWatch. February 15, 2023. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  35. ↑ Thakker, Prem (November 1, 2022). "After Train Derailment, Ohio Governor Mike Dewine Says 'I'm Not Seeing' Any Problems". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
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