Residents near the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line were ordered to evacuate as crews in released toxic chemicals from a derailed train to reduce the threat of explosion.
Crews began releasing toxic chemicals into the air from five derailed tanker cars that were in danger of exploding Monday after warning residents near the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line to leave immediately or face the possibility of death.
Officials warned the controlled burn would send phosgene and hydrogen chloride into the air. Phosgene is a highly toxic gas that can cause vomiting and breathing trouble and was used as a weapon in World War I. The process involves using a small charge to blow a hole in the cars, allowing the material to go into a trench and burning it off before it’s released in the air, he said. The crews handling the controlled release have done this safely before, Deutsch said.
“This is very serious,” he said. “I want you to know that if I were there right now, if the first lady and our children were there right now, we would evacuate. We would leave this area. It is potentially too dangerous.” Police cars, snow plows and military vehicles from the Ohio National Guard blocked streets leading into the area.night, according to rail operator Norfolk Southern and the National Transportation Safety Board. No injuries to crew, residents or first responders were reported.
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