Global Courant 2023-03-06 00:00:48
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A Norfolk Southern train derailed Saturday in Springfield, Ohio, prompting a short shelter-in-place order and flagging the company’s second derailment in the state in about a month.
The 20 cars that derailed around 4:45 p.m. in the township, about 40 miles west of Columbus, were carrying harmless materials, That’s what Clark County authorities said early Sunday, after state and local officials searched the site. They lifted the shelter order as of 2:15 a.m., about 10 hours after it was issued for residents within 300 feet of the crash site.
“There are currently no indications of injuries or risks to public health,” the province said. “A crew from the Norfolk Southern railroad owner/operator, the Clark County Hazmat team, and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency each independently examined the crash site and verified that there was no evidence of spillage at the site.”
Two tankers were carrying residual quantities of diesel exhaust fluid, the county said, and two others had residual quantities of polyacrylamide water solution. The county called those materials “common industrial products shipped by rail” and noted that the area does not contain a protected water source, “meaning there is no risk to public water systems or private sources at this time.”
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency planned to oversee the cleanup on Sunday.
Gov. Mike DeWine (R) said in a Twitter post that President Biden and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg called to help the federal government. Buttigieg tweeted that the derailment will be closely monitored, even though no hazardous material has been released.
The incident comes on the heels of the February 3 derailment of a train in Norfolk Southern that caused an explosion in eastern Palestine, sending dark plumes into the sky, blanketing the area with a chemical odor and raising concerns about pollution. . Some of those derailed cars contained vinyl chloride, a carcinogen, and a 1,000-foot area around the tracks was “severely contaminated.” That derailment prompted officials to issue a sheltering order on the perimeter of the crash site before evacuating some of the closest homes. Residents have since returned, some concerned whether it is safe to stay.
Norfolk Southern, the fourth-largest rail line in the United States, has since come under scrutiny. CEO Alan Shaw will testify to Congress on Thursday about the derailment in eastern Palestine and take steps to prevent similar accidents. Some legislators have already proposed new rules.
Rep. Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio), whose district includes the scene of Saturday’s derailment, called it “outrageous” during a Sunday appearance on NBC News’s “Meet the Press.” He said that while “it looks like we missed a bullet in this,” the risk to Ohio residents is unacceptable.
“The fact that we have slippage after slippage really shows the lack of investment, the divestment, in our infrastructure, and that needs to change,” Turner said.
