The Nationwide Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a preliminary report on the derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight practice hauling poisonous chemical compounds in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this month, discovering the incident was doubtless attributable to an overheated wheel bearing on one of many practice vehicles. 

NTSB launched the preliminary findings from its three-week investigation after “5 DOT-105 specification tank vehicles (railcars 28–31 and 55) carrying 115,580 gallons of vinyl chloride” derailed and had been subsequently discharged by way of a managed burn to stop a catastrophic explosion. The spill and burn have polluted the air, water, and soil — residents within the small blue-collar city and surrounding communities have reported feeling sick whereas some pets and wildfire have mysteriously died. 

“Surveillance video from an area residence confirmed what seemed to be a wheel bearing within the closing stage of overheat failure moments earlier than the derailment,” the report stated. “The wheel bearing and affected wheelset have been collected as proof and can be examined by the NTSB.”

Recall that we directed readers’ consideration to this surveillance video over every week in the past. 

OHIO – Safety digicam footage captured the Norfolk Southern practice passing by Salem, OH with flames and sparks underneath at the very least one of many vehicles. #ohiotrainderailment pic.twitter.com/bh1WgiPpSr

— Emmanuelle Saliba (@_esaliba) February 15, 2023

NTSB acknowledged the freight practice’s wayside defect detector, or scorching bearing detector, instructed the crew to cease the practice, but it surely was too late when one of many bearings reached 253 levels above common, which meets Norfolk Southern’s standards for “vital.” At the moment, whereas the practice was touring 47 mph, beneath the velocity restrict of fifty mph, the engineer utilized the brakes however was unable. 

“After the practice stopped, the crew noticed fireplace and smoke and notified the Cleveland East dispatcher of a attainable derailment,” the report stated. First responders arrived on the scene round 2100 native time on Feb. 3. NTSB stated first responders discovered:

“On account of the derailment, 38 rail vehicles derailed and a fireplace ensued which broken a further 12 vehicles. There have been 20 whole hazardous materials vehicles within the practice consist—11 of which derailed.” 

A one-mile evacuation zone, impacting 2,000 East Palestine residents, was instantly applied after the derailment. 

Two days after the derailment, the 5 derailed DOT-105 specification tank vehicles (railcars 28–31 and 55) carrying 115,580 gallons of vinyl chloride continued to expertise rising temperatures. 

“This improve in temperature advised that the vinyl chloride was present process a polymerization response, which might pose an explosion hazard,” NTSB stated.

As a result of elevated danger of a large explosion, Norfolk Southern started a “managed venting” and burned the poisonous chemical compounds on Feb. 6. 

NTSB’s investigation is ongoing and can analyze the wheelset and bearing, in addition to the venting and burning of the vinyl chloride. 

In the meantime, Norfolk Southern is busy ripping up tracks in East Palestine to take away contaminated soil underneath the rails that had been rapidly changed to renew practice service after the derailment. 

“I stated, ‘Give you one other plan to tear up these tracks and dig up that soil.’ They usually gave me a plan this morning,” Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw stated in a CNN City Corridor on Wednesday with residents from East Palestine. “We’re gonna do what’s proper for this neighborhood.”

Here is NTSB’s full preliminary report on the East Palestine practice derailment.