March 3rd 2023.
On Thursday night, indignant inhabitants of East Palestine, Ohio confronted representatives from Norfolk Southern, the railroad firm that precipitated a poisonous chemical dump and explosion, at a town hall assembly.
Darrell Wilson, Norfolk Southern's Associate Vice-President for Government Relations, attempted to express remorse to the assemblage present in the auditorium at East Palestine High School, but was quickly shouted down by a chorus of exasperation. One person in the crowd yelled out, "Evacuate us! Evacuate us! We are going to get sick!"
(Image Source: https://metro.co.uk) Caption: Darrell Wilson, assistant vice president government relations of Norfolk Southern addresses the crowd at East Palestine High School
Wilson noted that 2 million gallons of contaminated water and 1,400 tons of solid waste had been cleared away from the crash site, but locals were still vexed that the business reopened the railroad before taking away the soil located directly beneath the tracks. "You should have done that the first time," a person from the audience cried.
EPA Administrator Debra Shore declared that the agency would begin testing for dioxins, a carcinogenic chemical that some fear was discharged during the blast. Nonetheless, for many East Palestine locals, the testing was too late.
(Image Source: https://metro.co.uk) An overhead view of the site of the East Palestine disaster
One resident implored the officials, "I'm begging you, by the grace of god, please get our people out of here!" Another resident was more direct, inquiring, "Has there been any talk about relocating people?" to which Wilson answered, "There has not."
Residents of East Palestine, Ohio angrily confronted officials from the rail operator at a town hall meeting on Thursday evening, whose train was responsible for a chemical spill and explosion. Representatives from the freight railroad operator Norfolk Southern, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control were present for a Q&A session at the Ohio-Pennsylvania border town. 'We are truly sorry. We feel terrible about it,' Darrell Wilson, Norfolk Southern's Associate Vice-President for Government Relations, said to the audience in the East Palestine High School auditorium. However, the crowd quickly became enraged, with one person shouting 'evacuate us! Evacuate us! We are going to get sick!'
(Image Source: https://metro.co.uk) Caption: Darrell Wilson, assistant vice president government relations of Norfolk Southern addresses the crowd at East Palestine High School
Wilson informed them that 2 million gallons of contaminated water and 1400 tons of solid waste have been cleared from the crash site, yet residents were still livid that the company had reopened the railroad prior to removing the soil underneath the tracks. 'You should have done that the first time,' someone shouted from the crowd. The EPA Administrator Debra Shore declared they were beginning testing for dioxins - a cancer-causing chemical that some worry was released during the explosion. However, for many East Palestine inhabitants, the testing is too little too late.
(Image Source: https://metro.co.uk) An overhead view of the site of the East Palestine disaster
One East Palestine resident pleaded to officials: 'I'm begging you, by the grace of god, please get our people out of here!' Another asked Wilson straight out: 'Has there been any talk about relocating people?' To which he answered, 'No, there has not.'
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