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A screenshot of video footage shows a derailed train in Van Buren Township, Michigan on February 16, 2023.
"At this time no one is aware of the release of any hazardous materials," said Rep. Debbie Dingell.
As the small town of East Palestine, Ohio reels from a chemical-spewing train crash, another train operated by the same company—Norfolk Southern—derailed outside of Detroit, Michigan on Thursday, the latest in a string of recent wrecks that rail workers have said are a horrible and predictable consequence of the industry's profit-seeking policy decisions.
According to a local NBC affiliate, a Norfolk Southern representative said that "there were no hazardous materials spilled in the crash," which took place in Van Buren Township.
In a Facebook post, Van Buren Township authorities wrote that "the involved train had one railcar that contained liquid chlorine; however it was located away from the overturned section, and was part of the section of railcars removed first."
"There is no evidence of exposed hazardous materials," the post added. "There are also no reported injuries."
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) said in a statement that "at this time no one is aware of the release of any hazardous materials" and "the car carrying hazardous material has been put upright."
"It is being removed from the area of the other derailed cars, and EPA is dispatching a team to ensure public safety," Dingell added. "We will continue to monitor the situation very closely and remain in touch with federal, state, and local officials, and release additional information as it becomes available."
State Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-4) and state Rep. Reggie Miller (D-31) issued a joint press release calling Thursday's crash "very disturbing, especially following the recent incident in Ohio."
In the wake of the East Palestine crash, Norfolk Southern has increasingly been described as a poster child for the hazards associated with a Wall Street-backed model known as Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR), which prioritizes speed and profits over safety.
"Safety inspection times and personnel have been slashed, hindering efforts to ensure trains are safe before they leave yards or terminals. Crews are dissuaded from reporting safety issues. Workers that persist in raising red flags are often ignored," Motherboard's Aaron Gordon wrote Wednesday. "Norfolk Southern's lax safety practices have been applied to its entire network, reflecting a trend happening across the freight rail industry."
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
As the small town of East Palestine, Ohio reels from a chemical-spewing train crash, another train operated by the same company—Norfolk Southern—derailed outside of Detroit, Michigan on Thursday, the latest in a string of recent wrecks that rail workers have said are a horrible and predictable consequence of the industry's profit-seeking policy decisions.
According to a local NBC affiliate, a Norfolk Southern representative said that "there were no hazardous materials spilled in the crash," which took place in Van Buren Township.
In a Facebook post, Van Buren Township authorities wrote that "the involved train had one railcar that contained liquid chlorine; however it was located away from the overturned section, and was part of the section of railcars removed first."
"There is no evidence of exposed hazardous materials," the post added. "There are also no reported injuries."
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) said in a statement that "at this time no one is aware of the release of any hazardous materials" and "the car carrying hazardous material has been put upright."
"It is being removed from the area of the other derailed cars, and EPA is dispatching a team to ensure public safety," Dingell added. "We will continue to monitor the situation very closely and remain in touch with federal, state, and local officials, and release additional information as it becomes available."
State Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-4) and state Rep. Reggie Miller (D-31) issued a joint press release calling Thursday's crash "very disturbing, especially following the recent incident in Ohio."
In the wake of the East Palestine crash, Norfolk Southern has increasingly been described as a poster child for the hazards associated with a Wall Street-backed model known as Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR), which prioritizes speed and profits over safety.
"Safety inspection times and personnel have been slashed, hindering efforts to ensure trains are safe before they leave yards or terminals. Crews are dissuaded from reporting safety issues. Workers that persist in raising red flags are often ignored," Motherboard's Aaron Gordon wrote Wednesday. "Norfolk Southern's lax safety practices have been applied to its entire network, reflecting a trend happening across the freight rail industry."
As the small town of East Palestine, Ohio reels from a chemical-spewing train crash, another train operated by the same company—Norfolk Southern—derailed outside of Detroit, Michigan on Thursday, the latest in a string of recent wrecks that rail workers have said are a horrible and predictable consequence of the industry's profit-seeking policy decisions.
According to a local NBC affiliate, a Norfolk Southern representative said that "there were no hazardous materials spilled in the crash," which took place in Van Buren Township.
In a Facebook post, Van Buren Township authorities wrote that "the involved train had one railcar that contained liquid chlorine; however it was located away from the overturned section, and was part of the section of railcars removed first."
"There is no evidence of exposed hazardous materials," the post added. "There are also no reported injuries."
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) said in a statement that "at this time no one is aware of the release of any hazardous materials" and "the car carrying hazardous material has been put upright."
"It is being removed from the area of the other derailed cars, and EPA is dispatching a team to ensure public safety," Dingell added. "We will continue to monitor the situation very closely and remain in touch with federal, state, and local officials, and release additional information as it becomes available."
State Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-4) and state Rep. Reggie Miller (D-31) issued a joint press release calling Thursday's crash "very disturbing, especially following the recent incident in Ohio."
In the wake of the East Palestine crash, Norfolk Southern has increasingly been described as a poster child for the hazards associated with a Wall Street-backed model known as Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR), which prioritizes speed and profits over safety.
"Safety inspection times and personnel have been slashed, hindering efforts to ensure trains are safe before they leave yards or terminals. Crews are dissuaded from reporting safety issues. Workers that persist in raising red flags are often ignored," Motherboard's Aaron Gordon wrote Wednesday. "Norfolk Southern's lax safety practices have been applied to its entire network, reflecting a trend happening across the freight rail industry."