The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released the preliminary findings from its investigation of the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment. (video below)

There were three locomotives and 149 rail cars. Before the train derailed Feb. 3, the crew received a warning telling them to immediately slow and stop the train to conduct an inspection.  It was during the deceleration that a railcar carrying plastic pallets had a wheel bearing failure, according to NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy.  [Bullet Point Video, WATCH]

Thirty-eight cars derailed and fire damaged an additional 12 cars.  Five tanker cars carry 115,580 gallons of vinyl chloride were part of the group that derailed.  Vinyl Chloride is a flammable and toxic gas used to make PVC pipe.  The initial fire was the result of the hot axle and the plastic pellets in the railcar.  According to Mrs. Homendy, there was no evidence the three-person train crew did anything wrong. She said the NTSB, so far, hasn’t identified any operational issues with the defect detectors or railroad tracks.

Full Press Conference Video Below:

.