Norfolk-Southern train derails in Ohio – again
A Norfolk Southern Corp train. derailed in Springfield, Ohio, about a month after an earlier accident in the state that put rail safety in the spotlight.
About 20 cars of a 212-car train derailed near Springfield southbound Saturday night, the company said in an emailed statement. No hazardous materials were involved and no injuries were reported, it said.
Norfolk Southern is grappling with the aftermath of the crash in East Palestine, Ohio, which left residents worried about contaminated air and water. While train derailments are fairly regular occurrences, the February 3 incident drew special scrutiny after hazardous chemicals were spilled, forcing a community evacuation of about 4,700 people as authorities deliberately vented and burned tank cars to prevent an explosion .
Clark County officials said Saturday they are asking residents within a 1,000-foot radius to take shelter “out of caution,” but are not issuing evacuation orders at this time. More than 1,500 residents are without power because of downed power lines, officials said in a Facebook post.
The company said teams from Norfolk Southern are en route to the site to begin the cleanup. Federal Railroad Administration officials are also on the road, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Twitter.
The incident could already put pressure on Norfolk Southern. Senator Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, pointed to the two derailments and at least two other incidents involving the company’s trains in recent months, calling them “unacceptable” and accusing Norfolk Southern of putting profit margins before safety.
“Ohio communities should not be forced to live in fear of another disaster,” Brown, one of the backers of a new Senate bill to improve railroad safety, said in a statement.
–With support from Ari Natter.
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