When Feb. 3 dawned, East Palestine was like most small communities in America—the kind of place where everyone seems to know everyone, high school football Friday nights are like holidays, and families have lived for generations.

That comfort and nostalgia abruptly changed by around 9 p.m. when a Norfolk Southern Railway freight train carrying 151 cars derailed in this village of 4,761 in eastern Ohio near the Pennsylvania border.

Since then, East Palestine and surrounding communities have been coping with the aftermath, including the release of thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals, as local, state, and federal officials and agencies have been trying to determine both short-term and long-term courses of action.

Here is a timeline of the train derailment and the aftermath:

Around 9 p.m., a Norfolk Southern train carrying 151 cars derailed in East Palestine.

Fifty cars derailed, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported. The crash sparked a fire, and 11 of the cars contained hazardous chemicals, which soared into the air and onto the ground.

The train was en route to Conway, Pennsylvania, from Madison, Illinois. The crew started its shift in Toledo, which is located in northwest Ohio. The train traveled through heavily populated areas like Cleveland before derailing in East Palestine, according to the NTSB.

Citing a ‘train derailment with hazardous materials, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway declared a state of emergency.

Residents in East Palestine and surrounding communities were asked to leave the area.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that contaminated runoff from the derailment was discovered in Sulphur Run and Leslie Run, two local creeks.

Norfolk Southern contractors installed booms and underflow dams to restrict the flow of contaminated water.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said at a Feb. 14 press conference that he was notified on Feb. 5 that one car carrying vinyl chloride was at risk of exploding.

Officials were faced with “two bad options”: allowing the car to explode—a decision that could launch deadly shrapnel with a near-one-mile trajectory—or vent and burn the chemical.

DeWine issued an “urgent evacuation notice” to anyone who had not yet evacuated within a mile of the train derailment.

“You need to leave. You just need to leave,” DeWine said. “This is a matter of life and death.”

In order to avoid an explosion, Norfolk Southern and state and local officials on Feb. 6 decided to release and burn vinyl chloride from five rail cars.

DeWine said Ohio and Pennsylvania authorities communicated with Norfolk Southern and decided to prevent the explosion.

East Palestine residents who remained within a 1-mile-by-2-mile area surrounding the village were ordered to leave.

Norfolk Southern conducted the release and burn of vinyl chloride in five cars around 4:15 p.m., sending flames and thick black smoke billowing into the sky once more.

Vinyl chloride is a chemical used to make PVC pipes and other products. The National Cancer Institute notes that vinyl chloride has been linked to cancers of the brain, lungs, blood, lymphatic system, and liver.

One day after the release and burn, Norfolk Southern reported that both railroad mainlines were restored to service.

DeWine said that it was uncertain when residents would be allowed to return to their homes.

During a press conference at East Palestine High School, DeWine was joined by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, East Palestine Fire Chief Keith Drabick, and other officials from Ohio and Pennsylvania.

DeWine announced that the evacuation order was lifted, and residents within the zone could return to their homes.

“The safety of the residents affected by the train derailment in East Palestine has been our No. 1 priority throughout,” Drabick said. “It is now safe to be in the evacuation area.”

While the press conference was taking place, NewsNation correspondent Evan Lambert was arrested.

Standing in the back of the school gymnasium, Lambert was performing a live spot on the air and was accused of being “loud.”

Ohio National Guard Maj. Gen. John Harris and two Ohio State Highway Patrol officers attempted to stop Lambert’s broadcast because he was loud, a statement from the East Palestine Police Department noted.

Ohio State Highway Patrol body camera footage shows that Harris pushed Lambert, prompting law enforcement officers to separate the men.

Lambert was transported to the Columbiana County Jail, where he was charged with resisting arrest and criminal trespassing before being released on a $750 bond around five hours later.

The Columbiana County Prosecutor’s office turned over the case to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office.

The EPA sent a general notice of potential liability letter to Norfolk Southern, detailing areas the company may be liable for damages and cleanup related to the derailment.

The letter described chemicals found at the derailment site following the release and burn of vinyl chloride.

Some of the derailed rail cars carried vinyl chloride, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutylene, and butyl acrylate—all hazardous chemicals—according to the letter.

“Multiple rail cars and tankers were observed derailed, breached, and/or on fire,” the letter noted.

Norfolk Southern submitted its remedial action plan to the EPA, explaining its response to the derailment so far and recommending additional actions.

The plan explained that pooled liquids were collected into a vacuum truck and prepared for disposal.

Surface water flow was rerouted from the derailment site and underflow dams were put in place.

Air quality monitoring was underway. Well water sampling was taking place. Soil and surface water sampling was planned.

Shallow soil will be removed “to reduce direct contact risk,” the plan said, and soil sampling was scheduled to happen in “the next several days.”

The railroad was to install groundwater monitoring wells to “evaluate the nature and extent of groundwater impacts associated with the derailment,” according to the plan.

DeWine held another press briefing and reported that Norfolk Southern has agreed to pay for the cost of cleanup and damages in East Palestine, and workers from the railroad will remain in the village until the situation is resolved.

Shapiro wrote an open letter to Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw announcing that Norfolk Southern’s conduct is under investigation by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

“While I appreciate that responding to train derailments presents an array of complex challenges, failure to adhere to well-accepted standards of practice related to incident management and prioritizing an accelerated and arbitrary timeline to reopen the rail line injected unnecessary risk and created confusion in the process,” Shapiro said. “You can be assured that Pennsylvania will hold Norfolk Southern accountable for any and all impacts to our Commonwealth.”

Shapiro’s letter also noted that Norfolk Southern didn’t “immediately inform authorities as to the number of rail cars that contained dangerous chemicals” and that company officials didn’t “explore or articulate alternative courses of action to their proposed vent and burn.”

The NTSB reported that investigators identified the exact car that initiated the crash.

Video shows “what appears to be a wheel bearing in the final stage of overheat failure moments before the derailment,” the NTSB said.

The Ohio Attorney General’s office dropped all charges against Lambert.

DeWine issued a statement saying that, according to the Ohio EPA, East Palestine residents could safely drink their municipal water.

Results returned to the Ohio EPA showed no contaminants in raw water from the five wells that feed into East Palestine’s municipal water system, DeWine’s office said.

The results also showed that no contaminants associated with the derailment were detected.

Private water wells may be closer to the surface than municipal water wells, the Ohio EPA explained. People who get their drinking water from private wells should schedule an appointment for well water testing with an independent consultant, the Ohio EPA recommended.

Residents of East Palestine and surrounding communities packed into the high school gymnasium for a town hall meeting.

Conaway, Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), and representatives from the U.S. EPA, Ohio EPA, and the Ohio Division of Natural Resources attended.

Norfolk Southern officials originally planned to appear at the town hall, but the company issued a statement earlier that day saying they would not be there.

“Today, we hoped to join local, state, and federal officials at a town hall to update the East Palestine community on the steps we are taking to thoroughly, responsibly, and safely clean up the accident site and to provide the latest results from ongoing water and air testing,” a Norfolk Southern statement explained.

“We also wanted to be available to provide information on resources from our Family Assistance Center.

“At the same time, we know that many are rightfully angry and frustrated right now. Unfortunately, after consulting with community leaders, we have become increasingly concerned about the growing physical threat to our employees and members of the community around this event stemming from the increasing likelihood of the participation of outside parties.

“With that in mind, Norfolk Southern will not be in attendance this evening. We want to continue our dialogue with the community and address their concerns, and our people will remain in East Palestine, respond to this situation, and meet with residents.”

On Feb. 16, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Michigan. None of the damaged cars contained hazardous materials, and no injuries were reported.

Norfolk Southern CEO Shaw sent an open letter to East Palestine residents on Feb. 16 pledging that the railroad would not abandon the community.

“We have implemented a comprehensive testing program to ensure the safety of East Palestine’s water, air, and soil. And we have established a $1 million community support fund as a down payment on our commitment to help rebuild,” Shaw wrote.

“We will not walk away, East Palestine,” he added. “I know there are still a lot of questions without answers. I know you’re tired. I know you’re worried. We will not let you down,” he added.

Norfolk Southern also debuted NSMakingItRight.com. The website is designed as an information source for East Palestine residents and offers updates on clean-up work, Family Assistance Center services, and a link to U.S. EPA updates on the derailment recovery among other resources.

Also on Feb. 16, the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) said it would not declare an emergency in East Palestine—at least for now—according to DeWine.

Almost two weeks after the derailment, DeWine requested federal assistance for residents dealing with the aftermath.

FEMA declined to help because East Palestine isn’t eligible for disaster assistance, DeWine spokesperson Dan Tierney said. FEMA said the derailment and subsequent chemical spill and release and burn that sent toxic chemicals into the air don’t qualify as a traditional disaster, such as a tornado or hurricane, he added.

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) announced an investigation by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation into railroad companies’ management of hazardous materials.

Cantwell wrote a letter to the CEOs of Norfolk Southern, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, CSX, Kansas City Southern, and Union Pacific requesting input on how to enhance safety.

In his press briefing, DeWine said that he would ensure that Norfolk Southern covers all costs for the derailment’s damage, including any future expenses if it’s determined that the toxic chemicals spilled and released cause cancer and other ailments.

A day after alerting DeWine that the derailment does not qualify for an emergency declaration, FEMA announced it will send a team to East Palestine.

In a joint statement, DeWine and FEMA Regional Administrator Thomas Sivak reported that the federal agency has been in “constant contact” with the state and “working together since day one.”

Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) sent a letter to state and federal EPA officials urging them to test for dioxins, which are pollutants that are created when chemicals burn.

The letter raised concerns that burning vinyl chloride “may have resulted in the formation of dioxins,” a group of chemical compounds that only break down slowly once released into the environment.

Addressed to EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel, the letter expressed the concern that testing for dioxins may not have been included in the EPA’s air monitoring processes to date.

“We are concerned that the burning of large volumes of vinyl chloride may have resulted in the formation of dioxins that may have been dispersed throughout the East Palestine community and potentially a much larger area, Brown and Vance wrote.

Vowing that Norfolk Southern “will be working tirelessly every day to get East Palestine back on its feet as soon as possible,” Shaw visited East Palestine on Feb. 18.

Norfolk Southern announced that about 15,000 pounds of contaminated soil and 1.1 million gallons of contaminated water have been removed from the derailment site.

The excavated contaminated soil and water will be transported to landfills and disposal facilities that are “designed to accept it safely, in accordance with state and federal regulations,” the railroad explained.

The “majority of the hazardous rail cars have been decontaminated and are being held on-site” to allow NTSB to continue with its investigation, the statement continued.

Once that probe is completed, the rail cars will be “scrapped and moved off-site for disposal,” the train operator said.

Norfolk Southern also noted that it already has committed more than $5.6 million to East Palestine to date, including $3.4 million in direct financial assistance to families.

Norfolk Southern’s CEO said that if his family had a house in East Palestine, he would return home.

When asked by a reporter during a TV interview on Feb. 21 if he’d bring his children back to East Palestine right now, Shaw responded, “Yes, yes. I’ve come back multiple times and I’ve drank the water here. I’ve interacted with the families here.”

“I know they’re hurt, I know they’re scared, and I know they’re confused, they’re looking for information and who to trust. I encourage them to ask questions,” he said.

“I think when they really dig into it, they’re going to see that all the testing, whether it’s done by the EPA or local health officials or our independent contractors, shows that it’s safe to return to this community.”

To treat patients with symptoms after the derailment, the Ohio Department of Health on Feb. 21 opened a clinic in East Palestine.

Representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services and Columbiana County Health Department will assist the Ohio Department of Health.

In his comments on Feb. 21, Shaw added that people should seek medical attention if they are not feeling right.

Regan on Feb. 21 joined DeWine and Shapiro at a press conference in East Palestine.

The EPA announced that Norfolk Southern must manage and fund all necessary cleanup related to the derailment.

The legally binding order requires that rail companies identify and clean up any contaminated soil and water resources, and reimburse the EPA for cleaning services offered to residents and businesses.

The cleaning services will be conducted by the EPA and contractors, the agency said.

As part of the order, Norfolk Southern must also attend and participate in public meetings at the EPA’s request, and post information online.

Should Norfolk Southern not complete any of the order’s guidelines, the EPA said it will step in right away, complete the work, and then seek to have the railroad pay triple the cost for the services.

Former President Donald Trump visited East Palestine.

While President Joe Biden was returning to the White House from his trip to Poland and Ukraine, where he pledged hundreds of millions more in aid for the war-torn country, Trump arrived in the village, bringing with him Trump-brand bottled water, cleaning supplies, and words of encouragement.

Prior to a press conference, Trump visited Little Beaver Creek, where local officials provided insight into the derailment’s environmental impact.

The former president, who’s seeking another term in 2024, called the crash a “tragedy,” told residents that they are “not forgotten,” applauded the community as the “tough and resilient heart of America,” and praised Conaway, Johnson, Vance, and other officials for their response to the crash.

He criticized the Biden administration’s response, telling residents, “In too many cases, your goodness and perseverance were met with indifference and betrayal.”

Before departing, Trump stopped at McDonald’s, where he passed out hats, ordered meals for first responders, visited with patrons, and bought food for the plane ride back to Florida.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg made his first visit to East Palestine.

Noting that the NTSB released its preliminary findings on the derailment earlier that morning, Buttigieg said that ensuring accountability would be a top priority for the administration.

“Having these factual findings is an important step to being able to move on to the phase of policymaking,” he told reporters at a press conference. “And while we will of course wait for [NTSB’s] analysis and recommendations at the end of the full process to make certain judgments, we will not wait for that process to run its course to continue doing everything we can to raise the bar on rail safety and to hold people accountable.”

Before Buttigieg’s appearance, the only Biden administration official who visited East Palestine was Regan.

Buttigieg did not publicly mention the derailment until 10 days after it happened.

During his visit to East Palestine, Buttigieg acknowledged that he could have addressed the disaster sooner.

“The answer to your question is yes,” he told a reporter who had asked if he took too long to respond.

“I felt strongly about this and could have expressed that sooner,” he said. “I was taking pains to respect the role that I have and the role that I don’t have, but that should not have stopped me from weighing in about how I felt about what was happening to this community.”

Environmental activist Erin Brockovich held a town hall in front of a crowd of more than 2,000 at East Palestine High School.

She said she was “here with a message you don’t want to hear but maybe you know.”

“Superman is not coming. Nobody is coming to change what has happened to you, magically fix everything, or give you all of the answers,” Brockovich said. “You will become the strongest advocate you have.”

Brockovich cautioned audience members that there will not be a swift resolution to the issues that now impact East Palestine and surrounding communities.

“This is not going to be a quick fix. This is going to be a long game,” she added.

Brockovich was joined by water expert Robert W. Bowcock and trial attorney Mikal Watts. They are the principles of East Palestine Justice, an organization of lawyers, environmental activists, and scientific and medical professionals providing assistance to eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania residents affected by the derailment.

Norfolk Southern, Watts explained, has reported 3,397 events that could be classified as a derailment over the past 20 years.

Last year, Norfolk Southern had 770 train car derailments involving hazardous materials, Watts added, compared to 79 incidents in 2012.

For their own “peace of mind,” and as a step for potential legal action, Watts urged residents to protect their health.

“I’m begging you—for your own good—go get your blood and urine tested now,” Watts said. “If I was in your shoes deciding where I want to raise my family, I would want to know this.”

Also on Feb. 24, Biden directed teams from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, EPA, and FEMA to visit East Palestine homes starting on Feb. 25.

The “walk teams” will visit residents to see what they need and connect them with federal and nonprofit resources.

Biden has been widely criticized for traveling to Ukraine and Poland, but not East Palestine.

On Feb. 24, Biden was asked by reporters if he had plans to visit East Palestine. “This time, I’m not,” he responded.

Biden added that he held a meeting with his team on Zoon to get an update on the response.

“We were there two hours after the train went down,” Biden said. “I’ve spoken with every single major figure in both Pennsylvania and Ohio. So the idea that we’re not engaged is simply not there.”

On Feb. 24, the U.S. EPA ordered a temporary pause on shipments of contaminated waste from the derailment site amid objections from Michigan authorities who said they weren’t aware that hazardous materials were headed to their state.

“Everyone wants this contamination gone from the community,” EPA Region 5 administrator Debra Shore said. “They don’t want the worry, and they don’t want the smell, and we owe it to the people of East Palestine to move it out of the community as quickly as possible.”

Shore vowed that the removal process would resume “very soon.”