Precious Grundy | The Lima News
LIMA — The aftermath from the derailment of a train transporting hazardous materials across eastern Ohio continues to get national attention.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, there were a total of 150 cars apart from the engine on the train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on Friday, Feb. 3. Twenty of the 50 cars that were derailed contained harmful chemicals.
The Interim Dean of the Ohio Northern University College of Arts and Sciences Christopher Bowers weighed in on what happened in East Palestine.
“The thing that got the most attention was a chemical called vinyl chloride which is a flammable gas that is toxic and also a carcinogen,” said Bowers. “They were afraid because the temperature was increasing in some of those railcars. If the temperature became too high in the car, it would explode. All of the material would just release all of a sudden so the environmental impact would be the most it could be. They decided to intentionally release the vinyl chloride and burn it. So that is the thing that got the most people’s attention, that big black boom of smoke. That was the result of an intentional decision to avoid an explosion.”
Following the derailment, concerns rose that the chemicals would get into the airways and the drinking water in the surrounding areas.
Fortunately, northwest Ohio will be safe from potential effects according to Bowers City of Lima Director of Utilities Mike Caprella.
“It is totally in a different watershed,” said Caprella. “Everything in that part of the state goes south to the Ohio river. We are in northwest Ohio in the Maumee river basin which goes into Lake Erie. We are hundreds of miles away from the Ohio river.”
Caprella said he did see the chief operator for the city of Cincinnati say he did not seem really concerned about it by the time it gets to him.
”It is a very unfortunate situation but I guess EPA is on it now,” said Caprella. “I think most of the people in that area have wells and they were trying to make ways to get them tied onto their city system which is treated and there are no issues. I think they are doing a lot there to try and alleviate the problem.”
Caprella also said the county is testing the wells to see if there are any contaminants. According to a recent press release from Governor Mike DeWine, the Columbiana County Health Department has sampled 88 private wells and is currently waiting on the results. The press release also confirms that East Palestine’s municipal water is free from contaminants from the derailment.
Residents were also concerned about air pollution from the chemicals. The press release from DeWine’s office said the U.S. EPA has tested 562 homes and found no contaminants. The EPA has also tested outside air finding no contaminants related to the derailment.
“Even the winds that come out of the south, they blow the other way so we won’t get anything in the air from there,” said Caprella. “I am 100 percent confident that nothing will ever get here. I am sure of that.”
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
