Concerns about the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that was barely acknowledged until recently are growing by the hour. The disaster has been written off as not that big a deal by many in state and federal government.
Residents are, however, terrified of the aftereffects of the derailment, which resulted in hazardous chemicals spewing everywhere. You’ll understand why residents are terrified after watching what Republican Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance tweeted while standing near the derailment site.
A stick and a camera were all it took for the senator to go viral on Thursday afternoon.
One little scrape across the surface of the water in that spot where the senator stood in the video, which looked undisturbed otherwise, and a rainbow of colors appeared immediately. Vance either struck oil or that creek is full of whatever nastiness came from the train derailment site explosion.
On February 6th, thousands of residents were evacuated from their homes after toxic chemicals were released at the derailment site to prevent an explosion. Residents of the area remain concerned about the air and water quality despite the lifting of the evacuation order.
The terrifying reality of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio is difficult to compartmentalize. With FEMA failing to deliver assistance to this devastating incident, it’s no wonder why people are feeling that they had been abandoned and left vulnerable. There are now real concerns about hazardous chemicals seeping into creek water and other ground sources, leading to a heightened sense of fear amongst the residents in East Palestine. This type of negligence on behalf of governmental bodies is simply unacceptable and should not be tolerated by the public. We need answers now and, in the meantime, should pray for East Palestine with hope that this tragedy is dealt with properly and ends soon.
