East Palestine mayor raises concern about air quality after derailment, chemical leak

The mayor of East Palestine, Ohio, said Friday that he is concerned about the safety of the air as some residents report smelling noxious odors and feeling ill, two weeks after a train derailed in the town and leaked dangerous chemicals.

Mayor Trent Conaway told Fox News in an interview that he believes the water in the town is safe, as he has seen the reports that showed contaminants were not present in it. But “you can definitely smell” the chemicals, and he said people are developing rashes. 

Conaway said the situation is an emergency and needs assistance from the federal government.

State officials have said the air is safe to breathe and tests confirmed the water is safe to drink, but residents have reported smells and symptoms that concern them about the region’s safety. 

The Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are sending toxicologists and medical staff to the area on Saturday to conduct testing.

One of the substances that was on the train was vinyl chloride, a cancer-causing explosive material. Thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate for five days before officials said they could safely return.

“You can definitely smell it in downtown and around the shopping district of our town,” Conaway said, referring to the odors residents are reporting.

He said he has not felt urgency on the part of the federal government to provide assistance to the situation, adding that the government has given “a bunch of excuses.” 

“They were late to the dance, as I like to say, and our people deserve better,” Conaway said. 

The Biden administration has faced some criticism over its handling of the situation. 

Michael Regan, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, visited the site on Thursday. Both Democrats and Republicans have criticized the amount of time that elapsed before a top administration official visited the area. 

ABC News reported that a Transportation Department spokesperson said department staff were at the scene of the derailment within hours to help with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the incident.