(AmericanProsperity.com) – On Friday, February 3, a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, causing a dangerous situation. Out of the 100 cars, 20 contained toxic chemicals, and 10 of those were part of the derailment. Authorities had a plan to deal with the aftermath, and as a safety precaution, Governor Mike DeWine (R) ordered residents within a mile to evacuate the area.
After the train derailed, several cars caught on fire and continued to smolder over the weekend because of the chemicals within. As a result, authorities planned to do a “controlled release” of the highly combustible vinyl chloride, a chemical also known to cause cancer in humans, onboard the vehicle. Still, there was no guarantee that it wouldn’t lead to an explosion, especially considering there was a “drastic temperature change” within the rail’s car that made it more probable.
At a press conference, DeWine clarified that clearing the blast zone was a “matter of life and death” for residents in the nearby area. According to AP News, an explosion could have sent shrapnel flying as far as a mile, putting anyone in that proximity in danger. Sheriffs went door to door to convince people who lived in that specified radius to leave.
While many of the affected residents, which numbered between 1,500 and 2,000, did follow orders, DeWine’s evacuation notice stated that “more than 500 people have declined to leave their homes.”
East Palestine: Residents living within a mile of the train derailment site who have not yet left their homes are asked to immediately evacuate due to the potential of a major explosion. pic.twitter.com/F2BWmBipPx
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) February 6, 2023
A video caught an explosion in the area shortly after the press conference. The short clip showed black smoke billowing up into the sky.
Big explosion at the site of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.pic.twitter.com/3OlZQSM7eV
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 6, 2023
AP News reported that federal investigators revealed a mechanical issue to be the cause of the derailment. People were advised to stay away from the crash site, but authorities did arrest one person for failing to abide by the order.
Fortunately, nobody was injured in the accident.
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