SEPTEMBER 25, 2024:
A federal judge has approved a $600 million class-action settlement involving last year’s disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Attorneys for the residents and a railroad spokesperson says the judge approved it Wednesday (Sept. 25, 2024) despite the objections of a few residents who questioned the deal. Most residents supported it although a vocal group of objectors questioned whether the deal will provide enough and whether it was rushed through too quickly. The approval clears the way for payments to start going out quickly. The lawyers previously said they hoped to get the first checks in the mail before the end of the year.
FEBRUARY 9, 2023:
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials are asking about railroad safety after a fiery derailment in Ohio generated a huge plume of smoke and forced evacuations in a small town because of concerns about the toxic chemicals the train was carrying. The derailment and other high-profile incidents highlight the potentially disastrous consequences of train accidents. But the industry is generally regarded as the safest option for most goods and problems involving hazardous materials are exceedingly rare. Yet rail unions believe the industry is getting riskier after widespread job cuts in recent years because workers are spread thin.
FEBRUARY 4, 2023:
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — A train derailment and resulting large fire have prompted an evacuation order in an Ohio village near the Pennsylvania state line. The Friday night (Feb. 3, 2023) derailment covered the area in billows of smoke lit orange by the flames below. Rail operator Norfolk Southern says about 50 cars derailed in East Palestine from a train carrying a variety of freight. No injuries were reported. Officials say they’re trying to determine which cars are still burning. An evacuation order remained in place for residents within a mile of the scene, and the local air quality is being monitored. There was no immediate word on what caused the derailment.
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