A “controlled release” of chemicals, including vinyl chloride, began Monday afternoon in Ohio at the site of a train derailment, CNN reports. A “boom” was heard, before a large column of smoke rose. This decision was made by the authorities of this American state, who actually fear an even bigger explosion if nothing is done.
The train derailment occurred this Friday, February 3, at the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, and had caused a large fire. Some 2,000 residents, about half the population of eastern Palestine, were ordered to evacuate their homes.
call to evacuate
On Monday, the governor of the state of Pennsylvania once again asked residents of the region to evacuate the entire area in question. Local authorities ordered all residents within a 1.6 km radius of the disaster site to vacate the scene.
Five of the cars in the derailed train were carrying vinyl chloride, a chemical used in particular for the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Carcinogenic, vinyl chloride is also toxic to humans.
Source: BFM TV
