About 20 cars from a Norfolk Southern cargo train derailed in Ohio on Saturday, one month after the disastrous East Palestine derailment.
Hazmat crews and emergency services responded after the 212-car freight train came off tracks near the Clark County Fairgrounds in Springfield at about 5pm on Saturday.
Residents within 1,000 feet of the derailment were asked to shelter in place at 7pm “out of an abundance, of caution”, the Clark County Emergency Management Agency said in a statement posted to its Facebook page.
More than 1500 residents were without power last night.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said in a statement that he didn’t believe any hazardous materials onboard the train, and that officials from the Environmental Protection Agency and crash investigators were on site.
President Joe Biden and Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg had called him to offer federal assistance, Mr DeWine added.
The derailed tankers contained “residual amounts” of diesel exhaust fluid and polyacrylamide water solution, officials said.
On Sunday, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown told ABC News’ This Week that the derailment shows that railroad companies’ “greed and incompetence always takes precedent” over safety.
Further details are expected to be released at a press conference later on Sunday.
The latest incident came almost exactly one month after a Norfolk Southern carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine on 3 February, about 230 miles east of Springfield.
A controlled burn of vinyl chloride was carried out, sending black clouds billowing across the region, and sending contaminated water into rivers.
Furious residents have filed multiple class action lawsuits against Norfolk Southern over its handling to the environmental disaster.
Officials have sought to reassure residents that air and water in the town is safe.
