Late at night on February 3rd, a Norfolk Southern train derailed near East Palestine. The derailment was supposedly caused by an overheated wheel bearing that caused the train to derail with 38 cars. At first, the immediate danger was the vinyl chloride found in five of the cars that were at risk of exploding, but were let go through a “controlled release,” according to officials. The vinyl chloride did not spill and was released into a trench where it was then burned off creating the massive black cloud seen below that has been described by witnesses as a “Mushroom cloud.”

Other chemicals released by the derailment include hydrogen chloride released by burning vinyl chloride, phosgene which, according to Independent, has the effect of  “a gas deployed as a chemical weapon in the First World War because it can cause eye irritation, dry burning throat and vomiting.” As well as “butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether,” from the Environmental Protection Agency. 

An evacuation order was put in place immediately following the crash and was later lifted five days later allowing for residents to go back to their homes. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said “Air quality samples in the area of the wreckage and in nearby residential neighborhoods have consistently shown readings at points below safety screening levels for contaminants of concern. Based on this information, state and local health officials determined that it is now safe for community members to return to their residences,” in a press release. 

Now it appears that this claim may not have been entirely accurate, according “a chemical stench lingered in areas, with some residents saying the odor left them with headaches and pains in their throat. Plus, officials estimate thousands of fish were killed by contamination washing down streams and rivers.” There have already been eight lawsuits filed against Norfolk Southern because of their negligence, property damage, and exposure to chemicals. 

The full extent in terms of the pollution chemicals are responsible for have yet to be fully understood, but it is clear that they have made their way into waterways and rivers and traveled downriver. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, “Officials said the chemical spill into the river that resulted from the Feb. 3 derailment is now expected to reach the Cincinnati area early Sunday, though that date is subject to change due to dynamic river conditions.” The amount of chemical in the water is low enough that it should not be too much of a concern, but the color of the Ohio River was changed to an orange color mixing with the rest of the river. 

This isn’t the only case of toxic chemicals being spilled into a residential area, it follows a concerning pattern of near public health catastrophes taking place on American soil; as a truck in Tucson, Arizona crashed carrying 2,000 pounds of nitric acid and a train containing hazardous material derailed outside of Detroit, Michigan with luckily none of it spilling.  The most concerning part of the East Palestine chemical spill is that the full scale of the problem and the long-term impacts on the health of Americans and environmental impacts is not fully known now and might not be known for years to come.