US: Special Investigation into East Palestine Chemical Train Accident “Absurd”: Fox Moderator Tucker Carlson Allowed to Watch Capitol Videos – Outrage in US

The U.S. Transportation Safety Administration has announced a special investigation into Norfolk Southern Railroad following the derailment of a chemical freight train in the state of Ohio and other accidents.

Since December 2021, the NTSB has investigated five serious Norfolk Southern accidents, it said in a statement Tuesday. The agency is concerned that several organizational factors may have played a role in the accidents, including safety culture. One will therefore take a detailed look at the company’s security practices. At the same time, the company should not wait to improve security, according to the NTSB.

On February 3, 38 cars of a 150-car train derailed, some of which caught fire. Large amounts of sometimes highly toxic chemicals, such as the carcinogenic vinyl chloride, ended up in the environment. The wrecks burned for days. To prevent an explosion, authorities released and burned the chemicals in a controlled manner. A huge cloud of smoke hung over the place. Nearby homes were temporarily evacuated.

After the accident, residents not only complained about the pungent smell, but also about health problems, including headaches, irritated eyes and skin rashes. According to initial findings, the cause of the accident was an overheated wheel bearing in one of the wagons.

After the accident, criticism was leveled at the crisis management of President Joe Biden’s administration. But the Norfolk Southern railway company was also criticized. It was not until Tuesday (local time) that an employee of the company was killed in an accident in the American city of Cleveland. Norfolk Southern published a six-point safety plan on Monday. (sda/dpa)