NE Ohio Train Derailment: Local reaction from people following train derailment
Emergency crews increased evacuation warnings Monday because of the 50-car fiery train derailment in northeastern Ohio Friday night.
The big concern is the hazardous chemicals the cars were hauling and Governor DeWine warned more rail cars might explode and shoot even more toxic gas into the air.
“Vinyl chloride contents of five railcars are currently unstable,” he said Monday afternoon at a news conference. “(They) could potentially explode causing deadly dispersement of shrapnel and toxic fumes.”
>>PHOTOS: Train derailment in eastern Ohio causes huge fire
News Center 7′s John Bedell looked into who oversees hauling hazmat across Ohio.
The Ohio Rail Development Coalition says we have one of the largest rail networks in the country with more than 5,100 miles active rail.
Plenty of it is in the Miami Valley and we wanted to know who makes sure hazmat travels through our communities safely.
>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: DeWine issues evacuation notice for East Palestine following train derailment
It’s not unusual to hear a train rolling in Miamisburg.
“All the time,” said Julie Hubach. “Probably every, every half hour.”
She tells Bedell she hears it right across the street from her house.
After the train derailment and fire involving hazmat near Youngstown on Friday, Julie says she does think about something like that happening near her home.
“Definitely. Yes,” she said. “Something like that.
Bedell spoke with two other people Monday who live or work near the tracks in this part of town. They said they don’t think a thing about it.
>>PHOTOS: Huge flames, heavy smoke billows from train derailment in East Palestine
The Federal Rail Administration tracks the transport of hazardous materials with the Department of Transportation.
Bedell reached out to the agency Monday to ask questions like:
What hazmat is transported through Ohio?
How much of it comes through our state each month?
We are waiting to hear back from them.
Hubach says while she thinks about situations like the derailment in East Palestine, she is not concerned about it happening here.
“I love my location and I love the house,” she said. “I’m not scared to where I would think I would have to move.”
>>NE Ohio Train Derailment: Local hazmat coordinator says rail is ‘safe way’ to transport hazmat
Bedell also spoke with Garry Rettig with Dayton Regional Hazmat on Monday.
“It does happen in in the United States, but it doesn’t happen that often, and it certainly doesn’t happen all that often in our area,” he said. “Statistically speaking, rail is a very safe way of transporting hazmat.”
We will continue to provide updates of the train derailment in northeast Ohio.
