Was the train on fire before it derailed in Ohio?

It was revealed Thursday that Norfolk Southern's train twice needed repairs by mechanical personnel the day before the derailment in East Palestine, according to investigators, who say fire from the train was seen on camera as far as roughly 26 miles from the derailment site.



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On Friday, February 3, 2023, at approximately 9:30 p.m., a Norfolk Southern train had 53 cars derail in East Palestine, Ohio. The site of the derailment is less than one mile from the Pennsylvania border.

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They are: vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylene glycol, isobutylene, and ethylhexyl acrylate. Here's a quick rundown of each chemical's toxicity — and their byproducts when burned, which can also be toxic. Vinyl chloride has gotten the most attention so far. It's a colorless, flammable gas and known carcinogen.

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Indiana residents along the Ohio River worry toxic chemicals from the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, could pollute their drinking water. But water quality experts say the amount in the river has been low and is getting lower as it flows down the Ohio.

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NTSB investigators have identified and examined the rail car that initiated the derailment. Surveillance video from a residence showed what appears to be a wheel bearing in the final stage of overheat failure moments before the derailment.

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Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said at a press conference Thursday that 500,000 gallons (1.8 million liters) of the wastewater had been delivered to Deer Park, Texas.

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Equipment failures are increasingly responsible for derailments, and problems with equipment and train tracks accounted for nearly 60% of derailments nationwide last year. The number of derailments among major freight railroads has fallen sharply since 2000, data shows.

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The investigators' symptoms included sore throats, headaches, coughing and nausea – consistent with what some residents experienced after the February 3 train derailment that released a cocktail of hazardous chemicals into the air, water and soil.

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“Eleven of the derailed cars contained hazardous materials, some of which are used to make plastics. Vinyl chloride, a cancer-causing substance, was among the primary chemicals released in the crash, according to Ohio Environmental Protection Agency spokesman James Lee.

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