Publisher: Catastrophe in Ohio.

On February 3, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Twenty of the 151 wagons were destroyed. Of these, 10 were transporting toxic materials.

As a result, clouds of vinyl chloride, a flammable carcinogen, as well as hydrogen chloride and phosgene, were released into the atmosphere, polluting an area several kilometers in circumference. Other hazardous materials such as butyl acrylate have spilled into nearby rivers, killing thousands of fish. Leaks have also been observed in storm drains.

On the 5th, five thousand of its inhabitants were evacuated. However, on the 8th they were told that it was safe to return to their homes. Upon their return, many developed skin rashes and respiratory problems. Disoriented residents express fear that the gases they breathe and the water they drink will cause incurable diseases in the coming years.

But by that time, a strange common front had formed to minimize the consequences of the crash.

This wall of silence is supported by the owner and transportation companies, the governors of Ohio and neighboring Pennsylvania, federal agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), whose representatives recently appeared on the 15th, and the same Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttegich, who has not yet been in this area.

Residents were initially told to drink bottled water as a precaution, but the next day the governor said the municipal water was safe.

And the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) almost immediately indicated that the cause of the accident was a mechanical failure in the car.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the levels of toxicity, while palpable, are less than what is considered dangerous.

But residents complain about the lack of information, presence and support. They claim that those responsible are washing their hands of the emergency response, saying the emergency response has come to an end. The attempt to minimize the situation is rooted in a labor dispute that began in 2019 between 12 unions representing 115,000 railway workers and rail carriers, during which they demanded that paid sick leave be included in the employment contract.

By September, a strike was likely. Congress, backed by President Biden, took the extraordinary step of banning it and forcing it to pass the agreement despite more than half of the represented members voting to reject it, undermining the collective bargaining process and the right to strike. Their representatives have warned that accidents can occur without rest.

Ultimately, the decision to return to the inhabitants was premature and hasty. It is best to provide them with suitable temporary housing while the hazards are cleared. To do this, Ohio needs to declare a state of emergency, which will open access to the necessary federal funds.

At the same time, sick leave claims by 115,000 workers need to be addressed in order to reduce tensions and improve working conditions.

Railroad corporations can afford it, raking in record $22 billion in profits and the same from share buybacks and shareholder dividends as railroad jobs dwindle from one million in 1952 to just 150,000 in 2022.