Shortly before 9 p.m. on Feb. 3, Norfolk Southern freight train 32N carrying both ordinary and hazardous cargo approached East Palestine, Ohio. East Palestine is located less than one mile west of the Pennsylvania border and is home to approximately 4,700 people. Although the train crew had yet to declare an emergency, an electronic sensor alerted them to an overheated wheel bearing. The crew was slowing the train when 38 rail cars derailed, spilling some of their contents to the surrounding land and waterways.

Norfolk Southern promptly notified government agencies of the derailment. Eleven of the derailed cars contained hazardous materials posing a threat of serious injuries to human health and the environment. Worse still, a fire spread, damaging 12 other rail cars and contributing additional releases.

This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.

To view this content, please continue to their sites.

Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Why am I seeing this?

LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.

For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]