The Ohio Department of Health confirmed it is launching a clinic in East Palestine this week to deal with mounting health concerns expressed by locals after a train derailment triggered the controlled release and burn of toxic chemicals earlier this month.
In a news release, the agency said it will be opening the clinic on Tuesday in East Palestine in conjunction with the federal Department of Health and Human Services and Columbiana County Health Department.
The clinic will be opened for “any East Palestine area residents who have medical questions or concerns related to the recent train derailment,” said the release, adding that locals can start scheduling appointments Monday. The news release did not say whether the clinic services will be free or not.
“Registered nurses and mental health specialists will be on hand. A toxicologist will either be on site or available by phone,” said the release, adding that it will be held at the First Church of Christ in East Palestine. “In addition to two assessment rooms inside, a mobile unit operated by the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County, will be parked outside the church in order to accommodate more appointments,” it added.
Earlier in February, a Norfolk Southern-operated train derailed before officials ordered the release and burn of hazardous chemicals, including the highly carcinogenic vinyl chloride, in a bid to avert a potentially catastrophic explosion. Some locals have said they’ve suffered a range of health issues, including rashes on their faces, after the incident.
Last week, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said the clinic would also include a team of experts in chemical exposures who are being deployed to eastern Ohio.
“These are very legitimate questions, and residents deserve an answer,” DeWine said while also claiming that testing inside and outside of homes in the village have no found no signs of toxins that were on the train. “We’re doing absolutely everything we can to assure residents to what the situation is,” he said. “I understand people have been traumatized. I understand skepticism.”
The governor also said that air testing inside 500 homes hasn’t detected dangerous levels in the village since residents were allowed to return after the controlled release and burn of five tanker cars filled with vinyl chloride, which is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers.
HEPACO workers, an environmental and emergency services company, observe a stream in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 9, 2023 as the cleanup continues after the derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train Friday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)But Nick Patrone, who lives four miles outside the village, told The Associated Press there is definitely an irritant still lingering in the air.
“You feel it,” he told the AP. “A lot of my friends have children who have rashes that are unexplained all over their bodies. They have sore throats, they have congestion, they have ear irritation.”
The chemicals also spilled into nearby creeks, killing thousands of fish, and a smaller amount eventually made their way into the Ohio River. To highlight the incident, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) uploaded a video of him dragging a stick in Leslie Run—near the crash site—only to reveal what appears to be an oily, rainbow-colored substance. “This is disgusting,” he said.
While environmental officials said the contaminant amounts in the river were low enough that they did not pose a threat, cities in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia that get their drinking water from the river had been monitoring a slow-moving plume and a few temporarily switched to alternative water sources. Last week, the City of Cincinnati became the largest to do so.
Amid lawsuits that are piling up against the company, Norfolk Southern previously told The Epoch Times it was not able to comment directly on litigation or matters related to a National Transportation Safety Board investigation. In an update Thursday, the firm said that it is distributing more than $2 million in financial assistance to families and others to deal with costs associated with the evacuation and is creating a $1 million fund for East Palestine.
Meanwhile, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw released a letter saying “we are here and will stay here for as long as it takes to ensure your safety and to help East Palestine recover and thrive.”
“Crews are cleaning the site thoroughly, responsibly, and safely. Our Family Assistance Center is helping community members meet immediate needs,” the letter stated.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.