The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded two days of hearings Friday on the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, OH in February. In an unusual move, the NTSB chose to hold the public hearings in East Palestine, rather than Washington DC. Day one focused on the agency response and intentional venting of chemicals while day two focused on the causes of the accident.
Day one began with testimony from Beaver County’s Emergency Management Coordinator, revealing a lengthy lapse in communication after the accident, with an hour to a few hours wait to gain information from Norfolk Southern on the contents of the derailed cars. This was compared to a consulting firm working with Norfolk Southern which received the information in a matter of minutes.
A representative for Oxy Vinyls, the company that manufactured the vinyl chloride being transported by the derailed train, testified that the company believed the chemicals inside the derailed cars were stable. The representative claimed that the company attempted to inform Norfolk Southern that the planned vent and burn was not necessary, however, Norfolk Southern never communicated this to emergency services. Oxy Vinyls’ testimony directly opposed the understanding of the accident on the ground. East Palestine Fire Chief Keith Drabick claimed he was told the temperatures in the car were rising and he was only given 13 minutes to decide whether to commence the venting, with the Village of East Palestine, the Beaver County Emergency Management Coordinator, the US EPA, the Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency, the Ohio EPA and Norfolk Southern all agreeing to the decision.
Day two began with testimony alleging that the primary cause of the derailment was an overheated wheel bearing. The train allegedly passed over three temperature sensors meant to alert the crew of the temperature of the bearing, however, a Norfolk Southern representative alleged the crew was only alerted by the third detector and took safety precautions when it was too late. Constantine Tarawneh, an expert in railway safety, testified that the current temperature sensors are “inefficient,” suggesting that alternate methods such as acoustic bearing detectors are significantly better. However, an NTSB board member interjected that there are likely only about 16 or 17 working acoustic bearing detectors across the entire country’s railway system.
The incident occurred on February 3, when a Norfolk Southern train derailed. Officials feared the toxic chemicals being transported by the train would overheat, causing an explosion. In response, officials chose to vent the vinyl chloride, a colorless gas used to make plastic. This released the gas into the air, allegedly causing health and environmental concerns.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has claimed that chemicals released were found in the Ohio River, a source of water for not only East Palestine but many other towns and cities across Ohio and Pennsylvania. They also discovered over 3,500 dead fish of 12 different species in nearby streams and tributaries.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern, claiming they released harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. The state of Ohio has also taken legal action against Norfolk Southern, claiming that derailments and chemical releases have become a pattern for the company. The EPA has ordered Norfolk Southern to cover the costs of the cleanup.
