Ohio train derailment latest updates: Toxic spill health concerns prompt state to open East Palestine clinic

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan will return to East Palestine, Ohio for a second time to meet with local, state and federal leaders and provide an update on the federal government’s response to the Norfolk train derailment inform Southern.

Mr. Regan will also announce additional measures to ensure the health and safety of this community and hold Norfolk Southern accountable.

The EPA is leading the Biden administration’s multifaceted response to the incident and has been on the scene since day one. It also secured a commitment from Norfolk Southern to pay for cleaning costs.

A news conference is scheduled for Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. and will be attended by Mr. Regan, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Congressman Bill Johnson and EPA Regional Administrator Debra Shore.

Environmental activist Erin Brockovich will visit a city hall in East Palestine, Ohio, two weeks after a freight train loaded with toxic materials derailed and entered the community.

Ms Brockovich announced her upcoming visit via Twitter on Thursday. The activist previously criticized the EPA and state legislatures for telling people it was safe to return to their homes while also sending a legal notice to the rail operator about the threat of pollution.

“That’s why people don’t trust the government,” she tweeted last week. “You can’t tell people that hazardous pollutants have and continue to pollute the environment while saying, ‘All is well’.”

Ms. Brockovich will hold a town hall in the village on Friday. It was previously scheduled for earlier in the week but was postponed due to Donald Trump visiting the area on Wednesday.

Ms. Brockovich became a whistleblower in the Pacific Gas & Electric Company case in 1993 after speaking out about unexplained illnesses affecting residents of Hinckley, California. A lawsuit in the case resulted in a $333 million settlement, while Ms. Brockovich was portrayed in a 2000 Julia Roberts film.

Another train has derailed in Ohio, this time in Delphos, a small town about 88 miles southwest of Toledo near the state’s western border.

Law enforcement in Delphos were notified around 12:45 a.m. Sunday that a train traveling through the center of town had derailed near a grain elevator, according to Your Hometown Stations.

Graig Graziosi submitted this report:

Donald Trump says he will visit East Palestine, Ohio, two weeks after a freight train loaded with toxic materials derailed and entered the community.

The former president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., first announced the visit on Friday. tweet: “When our ‘leaders’ are too scared to actually lead, real leaders will step up and fill the void.”

The scope of the visit has not been specified, but on Saturday Mr Trump confirmed on his Truth Social platform that he would travel to the community of 4,700 on Wednesday.

Mr Trump never missed an opportunity to blast the Biden administration, claiming his announcement prompted the White House to deploy FEMA aid to eastern Palestine. The agency issued a joint statement with Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday that said a regional incident management support team would arrive in the village.

“Biden and FEMA said they would not send federal aid to East Palestine. As soon as I announced I was leaving, he announced a team was going,” Mr Trump said on Truth Social. “I hope he’s there too. That’s good news because we got them to “move”. The people of East Palestine need help. See you on Wednesday!”

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH), in cooperation with the Columbiana County Health Department and with support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is opening a Health Assessment Clinic Tuesday noon for all residents of the East Palestine Territory who have medical questions or concerns related to the recent train derailment.

Community members can make appointments by calling 234-564-7755 or 234-564-7888.

The clinic will be located at First Church of Christ, 20 West Martin Street, in East Palestine.

In addition to two grading rooms inside, a mobile unit operated by Columbiana County’s Community Action Agency will be parked outside the church to accommodate additional appointments.

Registered nurses and mental health specialists will be on hand. A toxicologist is available either on site or by phone.

This is the latest step in a broader effort by Governor Mike DeWine and a number of state agencies to help eastern Palestine recover from the incident.

“Last week I was in East Palestine and listened to many of the area’s residents expressing their concerns and fears,” said ODH Director Bruce Vanderhoff. “I heard you, the state heard you, and now the Ohio Department of Health and many of our partner agencies are making this clinic available for people to come and discuss these vital issues with medical providers.

“We encourage anyone with medical concerns or questions to use this resource.”

Residents of East Palestine, Ohio have shared their fears of contamination after a freight train loaded with toxic materials derailed and entered the community.

“When we returned on the 10th, we decided we couldn’t raise our kids here,” Amanda Greathouse told CNN, adding that there was still an odor reminiscent of “perm solution.” “When we left I had a rash on my arm and my eyes burned for a few days afterwards.”

Ms Greathouse told the network she felt nauseous when she returned to her home, just a block from the scene of the derailment.

“The chemical smell was so strong it made me nauseous,” added Ms. Greathouse, a mother of two young children.

“I just wanted to quickly grab what I needed and leave. I only took a few clothes with me because even the clothes smelled of chemicals and I’m afraid to put them on my kids.”

“I can only describe it as if the gates of hell were open.”

This is how Steve Szekely, Mahoning County hazmat chief, described the acrid plume of black smoke that billowed after the Feb. 3 train derailment in eastern Palestine, Ohio, where large sections of a 150-car train, some containing toxic chemicals, slid off the railroad tracks tracks.

Josh Marcus has the story.