In recent weeks East Palestine, Ohio, a town of less than 5,000 people, has become the center of an environmental disaster and the ensuing political firestorm in the aftermath of a train derailment earlier this month.
On Feb. 3, 50 cars of a Norfolk Southern train, some of which were carrying hazardous chemicals and materials, derailed in East Palestine due to what investigators have said was a broken axle. The ensuing chemical spill, which included highly combustible vinyl chloride from the capsized train cars, threatened an explosion and led to the evacuation of around 1,500 residents. A controlled burn of the chemicals resulted in a massive toxic plume of smoke rising into the air over the east Ohio town.
