<h5>What is the news about a train getting derailed in Ohio?</h5>  <p>On 3rd February 2023, a freight train derailed and exploded near East Palestine, Ohio, United States of America (USA). According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), 38 bogies of the train derailed and a fire broke out. This damaged another 12 bogies. The train was carrying chemicals and combustible items.</p>
<p>It was also carrying vinyl chloride, a dangerous flammable gas. This concerned the investigators a lot. The accident sparked a massive fire, sending heavy smoke into the sky and over the town (oh no!). Residents on both sides of the Ohio-Pennsylvania border were advised to evacuate after an alert was issued about a potential explosion.</p>
<p>The American authorities have launched an inquiry into the crash. The NTSB said it examined the train and video footage that indicated what seemed to be a wheel bearing failure shortly before the derailment. Along with the evacuation of 1,500 to 2,000 residents, schools and some roads were closed for the week.
</p> <h5>Has the accident caused any harm to the environment?</h5> <figure>
        <img src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/newsahoot.appspot.com/o/train-carrying-chemicals-derailed-in-ohio%2Fsmoke-coming-out-from-the-derailed-train-compartments%20(1).jpg?alt=media&token=978b5cf0-f783-4834-80fe-f19ea88ccf80" alt="Has the accident caused any harm to the environment?" >
        <figcaption>Smoke coming out from the derailed train compartments. Photo by NTSB Newsroom.</figcaption>
      </figure> <p>After asking residents near the Ohio-Pennsylvania state boundary to leave immediately, the authorities executed a controlled release of the poisonous chemicals on 6th February 2023. The chemicals were diverted to a trench and burned off. Later, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that around 20 train carriages were carrying hazardous materials.</p>
<p>They were seen released into the air, soil surface, and surface waters. On 12th February 2023, EPA announced that it had found no contaminants in the air at harmful levels in and around East Palestine, though residents may still smell some odours. As of 13th February 2023, the EPA had checked the air inside around 290 houses.</p>
<p>The agency has said that it had found no harmful chemicals, which might cause life-threatening respiratory difficulties. On 14th February, the EPA said that testing had shown two chemical contaminants in some Ohio River tributaries. But, water treatment methods will be able to filter them out and will not cause any harm to the people.
</p> <h5>What is the current situation over there?</h5>  <p>On 8th February 2023, the authorities said that people could return home after air quality samples revealed pollution at levels below concern. Norfolk Southern, the train company, announced that it had issued more than $1.2 million to help families pay their evacuation costs for hotel, travel, food, clothing, etc.</p>
<p>There have been no reports of injuries or deaths as a result of the derailment. However, some residents have reported on social media and in news reports that fish and frogs were dying in nearby rivers. Since the incident, residents in the region have reported feeling sick.
</p> <h5>How long will it take for things to return to normal?</h5>  <p>The EPA did not specify how long it would take for the situation to return to normal. The authorities are working to remove the materials from the site so that everything goes back to how it was earlier. Let’s hope that things return to normal soon and the residents do not face any more harm.</p>

A freight train got derailed in Ohio, USA. It caused much panic among the residents and the authorities. Let’s read to find out more about it.

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