Toxic Train Crash Is Killing Every Animal In The Area
East Palestine, Ohio was the site of a recent toxic spill brought about by a massive train crash. Researchers are finding dead animals in the surrounding area linked to chemicals spilled from overturned railcars.
Concerning reports from the toxic train crash in East Palestine, Ohio continue to come out in the wake of the incident. Futurism recently reported that thousands of dead fish had been found in waterways near the site of the train derailment. According to official reports from Mary Mertz, the director of Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources, 3,500 fish from 12 different species have been found dead since the accident.
This is just one of the many frightening impacts people are concerned about following the toxic train crash. A train from mega-corporation Norfolk Southern was derailed outside of East Palestine, a town with a population of roughly 5,000. While many of the train cars were carrying benign products and materials, multiple rail cars were carrying hazardous chemicals.
One of the most concerning chemicals released from the toxic train crash is vinyl chloride. Five rail cars worth of vinyl chloride were spilled from the derailment and subsequently burned off in a controlled explosion to attempt to mitigate immediate threats to the community. Vinyl chloride is a manmade, colorless gas that has been linked to liver damage, cancer, and neurological symptoms with chronic exposure.
Vinyl chloride, along with the other chemicals spilled in the toxic train crash, could easily kill aquatic wildlife if it gets into the water. Although the Ohio EPA is claiming locals aren’t in danger, officials have reported there are traces of carcinogenic chemicals in the nearby waterways. If the chemicals make their way into the Ohio River, things could become dire for a larger group of people as the Ohio River provides drinking water for over five million people.
Of course, the residents of East Palestine, Ohio are going to be the first affected by Norfolk Southern’s toxic train crash. Multiple reports have come in from residents reporting headaches and other symptoms. These symptoms have also been reported in local pets.
A video also went viral on Reddit, showing a chicken coop full of dead chickens located 10 miles from the toxic train crash. While the official reports are saying the air and water are currently at safe levels, these reports of symptoms and dead animals may be telling a different story. It’s troubling that we may not know the long-term effects of this derailment for some time to come.
The Norfolk Southern toxic train crash has resulted in numerous lawsuits being filed against the rail giant for negligence. Many are also demanding that Norfolk Southern pay the cost for the cleanup and other measures that will need to be taken to ensure the safety of the residents. Along with the vinyl chloride (and the off-gas chemicals from the burn), the Norfolk Southern cars also leaked chemicals like ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, and isobutylene that have also been linked to health-related consequences.
The toxic train crash in East Palestine, Ohio seems to be nothing short of an environmental disaster. Hopefully, the residents of the town won’t suffer from the effects of this crash, but many remain nervous and concerned. Stay tuned for more reports on the derailment.
