The National Transportation Safety Board chair testifies that safer options were available in the East Palestine incident.
Liz Goodwin reports for The Washington Post.
In short:
- NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy criticized the decision to perform a controlled burn of derailed tank cars in East Palestine, Ohio.
- The contractors lacked proper scientific expertise, leading to a potentially unnecessary toxic chemical release.
- Alternatives, such as allowing the tank cars to cool, could have averted the release.
Key quote:
“They were provided incomplete information to make a decision. There was another option: let it cool down.”
— Jennifer Homendy, NTSB chair
Why this matters:
Chemical accidents pose a myriad of risks, including immediate dangers to human life, long-term health issues, and significant environmental damage. The East Palestine derailment serves as a stark reminder of how quickly a situation can escalate and the extensive impact it can have on communities.
