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Governor Josh Shapiro joined Gov. Mike DeWine in urging all of those within a one by to two-mile radius of East Palestine — to "evacuate immediately," first on Sunday then again he reiterated the plea on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023.
Five of the 10 cars carrying the hazardous vinyl chloride had fumes released starting around 4:30 p.m. on Monday, according to the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.
Norfolk Southern Railway is hoping the daytime disbursement will prevent the rail cars from exploding and sending shrapnel and other debris from flying through the neighborhood.
A "small charge" will be put in a hole in each car "allowing the material to go into a trench, and burning it off before it's released in the air," NSR spokesman Scott Deutsch told the press, adding that they cannot control where it goes or how it moves once it is released into the air.
So far about half of the 4,800 residents in East Palestine, Ohio, and 22 residents in neighboring Pennsylvania were asked to evacuate. Pennsylvania State Police went door-to-door to assist those residents and ensure that they leave, although local police reminded the public that the request is not for all of the surrounding areas, which caused some confusion among the residents because some parts of Ohio were made to leave in "forced evacuations" by the Ohio National Guard.
Residents were packing overnight bags, loading their pets into cars find hotels outside of the area.
Vinyl chloride is a colorless, industrially produced gas that burns easily and is used primarily in the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride (commonly known as PVC) which is a hard plastic resin in plastic products that is associated with an increased risk of liver cancer and other cancers, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Federal investigators say the cause of the derailment was a mechanical issue with a rail car axle. "The three-member train crew received an alert about the mechanical defect “shortly before the derailment," Michael Graham, a board member of the NTSB, said in a press conference on Sunday. Investigators identified the exact “point of derailment,” but the board was "still working to determine which rail car experienced the axle issue."
Mayor Trent Conaway of East Palestine has declared a state of emergency as the national guard barricaded the area.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has closed PA Route 51 in Beaver County in both directions between PA 168 and the Ohio State Line and has set up detours in the area.
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