The chief executive officer of the train company involved in the toxic derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, says he understands "the anger" regarding the aftermath of the disaster.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw doubled down on a commitment to ensure safer procedures for his company's trains, along with helping the small rural town rebuild during a town hall on CNN Wednesday evening.
OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT: NTSB SAYS INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING IN PRELIMINARY REPORT
“I understand the anger. I’ve experienced it as I’ve talked to the citizens of this community over the last two and a half weeks. It’s important to me that I hear directly from the citizens of East Palestine and what I can do and what Norfolk Southern can do to help the recovery of this community,” Shaw said.
"I'm prohibited from talking about the ongoing investigation. What I can do and what I am doing, the commitment I'm making is we're going to get the environmental cleanup right. We're going to support the citizens and the family members here, and we're going to invest in the longtime growth in this community and help East Palestine thrive," he added.
As Shaw took questions from East Palestine citizens, he also reiterated how the company is "going to stay here" and is "going to make this right."
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Shaw first visited the small village last week after significant criticism over his company’s handling of the disaster, including opting out of a community meeting hours before it was scheduled to be held last week, citing security concerns.
The National Transportation Safety Board released its initial report Thursday. It detailed the events leading up to and following the Feb. 3 derailment, along with details on the subsequent controlled burn of toxic materials. Investigators say they will further examine the wheelset and bearing of the tank cars used by the company, along with the tank car design and damage, procedures for rail car maintenance, the use of wayside defect detectors, and rail car inspection practices.