A ball of fire and plumes of black smoke billowed over eastern Palestine, Ohio, Monday afternoon as officials released toxic chemicals from several railcars that derailed last week.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ordered residents to evacuate the one-by-two-mile area surrounding eastern Palestine ahead of the scheduled 3:30 p.m. liberation.
Five train cars were carrying vinyl chloride, a deadly chemical that authorities say is unstable and could explode, sending shrapnel into nearby neighborhoods.
A black plume and fireball rises over eastern Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk and Southern trains on Monday, February 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
On Sunday a “drastic change in temperature” was detected in one of the carriages, which increased the urgency of the evacuation.
OFFICIALS RECOMMEND EVACUATION OVER EXPLOSION CONCERNS AFTER OHIO TRAIN RAIL
Controlled burning of the toxic chemicals would send phosgene, a highly toxic gas used as a weapon in World War I, into the surrounding area.
The National Guard was activated to help residents with the evacuation and prevent people from approaching the rubble.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also ordered the evacuation of a sparsely populated area just across the state line from eastern Palestine.
About 50 trains derailed Friday near East Palestine, Ohio. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Launch was expected to take one to three hours. Authorities said it was unclear when the residents would be able to return to their homes in eastern Palestine.
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The train derailed Friday due to a mechanical problem with a car axle, sending 50 cars hurtling off the track, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
