‘It’s unacceptable;’ Ohio Senator expresses frustration after latest train derailment in Springfield – WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio
CLEVELAND — Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown said he is in contact with local officials and is calling for passage of the Railway Safety Fact following a train derailment in Springfield late Saturday afternoon.
>>Railway Safety Act: How new proposed legislation aims to prevent train disasters like those in East Palestine
He thanked the first responders, who quickly arrived at the scene on Saturday. after “another Norfolk-Southern train derailed in Ohio,” Brown said in a social media post Saturday night.
“Sandusky, Steubenville, Eastern Palestine and now Springfield — four derailments in Norfolk Southern in less than five months because this company was more concerned about its profit margin than the safety of Ohio residents,” he said in a statement. “Ohio communities should not be forced to live in fear of another disaster. This is unacceptable, so now we must pass my bipartisan Railroad Safety Act with Senator Vance.”
>>Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield; No hazardous substances “involved”
Senators Brown and Vance introduced the bill last week.
The proposal aims to prevent train disasters like those that happened in eastern Palestine last month and in Springfield on Saturday, Brown said.
>>PHOTOS: Ground images of the Springfield train derailment
The bill aims to improve railroad safety protocols and establish requirements for trackside fault detectors and create a permanent requirement for railroads to operate with at least a two-person crew, a Senator Brown spokesman said.
No injuries were reported in Saturday’s Springfield train derailment.
>>PHOTOS: Drone footage shows a train derailing near the Clark County Fairgrounds
A Norfolk Southern spokesman said no hazardous materials were “involved” in the derailment.