![Previously undisclosed information to the public reveals that workers cleaning up the East Palestine derailment site became sick during the process.](https://san.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/CLEAN-APImagesWorkersSick_AP-Images_featuredImage_Thu-Aug-15-2024.jpg?w=1920)
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
A REPORT KEPT SECRET FROM THE PUBLIC SINCE LAST SPRING REVEALS WORKERS CLEANING UP THE EAST PALESTINE TRAIN DERAILMENT BECAME SICK DURING THE PROCESS.
SOME FELL ILL WHILE CLEANING UP CREEKS NEAR THE OVERTURNED NORFOLK SOUTHERN BOX CARS– WHICH CARRIED TOXIC CHEMICALS.
WORKERS REPORTED HEADACHES AND NAUSEA– WHILE SHOOTING COMPRESSED AIR INTO THE CREEK BED.
THE PROCESS KNOWN AS AIR KNIFING RELEASES CHEMICALS FROM SEDIMENT AND WATER.
THE CLEANUP CONTINUED UNTIL THREE WEEKS LATER– WHEN ANOTHER WORKER GOT SICK. THAT’S WHEN AIR KNIFING WAS FINALLY HALTED.
AN INDEPENDENT TOXICOLOGIST SAID WORKERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY WERE SPREADING CHEMICALS INTO THE AIR– AND USING AIR KNIFING “WAS NOT AN INFORMED DECISION.”
A NORFOLK SOUTHERN SPOKESPERSON CLAIMED NONE OF THE WORKERS WHO GOT SICK “REPORTED LINGERING OR LONG TERM SYMPTOMS.”
SHE ADDED– “THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, AND THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN PARAMOUNT THROUGHOUT THE RECOVERY IN EAST PALESTINE.”
SINCE THE 2023 DERAILMENT– RESIDENTS HAVE REPORTED RASHES, ASTHMA, AND RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS– AND DISEASES LIKE MALE BREAST CANCER.
RESEARCHERS ARE STILL DETERMINING HOW MANY OF THE HEALTH PROBLEMS ARE LINKED TO THE TRAIN DISASTER.
IT’S UNCLEAR IF CONTAMINANTS FROM OTHER INDUSTRIES IN THE AREA WERE ALREADY IN THE CREEK BED AS WELL.
EAST PALESTINIANS HAVE UNTIL AUGUST 22ND TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY’LL ACCEPT 25-THOUSAND DOLLARS AS PART OF 600 MILLION LAWSUIT AGAINST NORFOLK SOUTHERN.
THE MONEY IS MEANT TO COVER ANY FUTURE HEALTH CARE COSTS.
FOLLOW UP TESTING BY THE E-P-A DETECTED SMALL AMOUNTS OF VINYL CHLORIDE AND OTHER CHEMICALS AT THE CRASH SITE. BUT THE AGENCY SAYS IT IS NOT A HEALTH RISK BECAUSE CONTAMINATED SOIL HAS BEEN REMOVED.
THE ENTIRE CLEANUP EFFORT IS EXPECTED TO FINISH UP THIS YEAR.
FOR MORE STORIES ON THE EAST PALESTINE TRAIN DERAILMENT– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN-DOT-COM.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.