Earlier this month, Ohio suffered from a serious accident involving a train that was transporting noxious chemicals. En route, the train ended up veering off the rails before crashing, causing a fire, and causing said noxious chemicals to spill.
Right now, officials are determining how this was able to happen and whether or not preventative measures could have stopped it. Many leaders are also pointing fingers at one another.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, for instance, has been getting a lot of criticism, with some lawmakers and other elected officeholders stating he needs to resign.
Though according to the Transportation Secretary, what happened on February 3 is a result of the Trump White House axing a policy from the Obama administration that mandated train carriers of noxious chemicals to use breaking technology of a higher caliber.
According to Vox, many questions being raised now pertain to whether or not more regulations would have kept the train from veering off course earlier this month.
Industry Officials Speak Out
Some rail employees, along with government officials, definitely believe that more regulations would have stopped the spill and spread of noxious chemicals in Ohio.
On top of more regulations, these folks likewise maintain that a greater abundance of workers and a willingness by the industry to take on higher costs would have spared Ohio from this accident and its aftermath.
This is what railways look like in Ohio
While we send $40 billion to Ukraine
Are you awake yet? pic.twitter.com/nx7s5i51FB
— E (@ElijahSchaffer) February 17, 2023
Because of what happened in Eastern Ohio, virtually everyone in the nearby community is feeling the pain from it. Some local community members have reported rashes, headaches, and even feeling as though they’re going to vomit.
As all this transpires, the Federal Railroad Association and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) warn that a probe into this incident could drag out for as long as years on end.
Ignored Warnings From Rail Workers?
While some folks blame a lack of regulations and certain fiscal decisions made by the industry, Democrats are taking some blame for this as well.
In 2022, many rail workers threatened to go on strike as a result of salary disputes and workplace issues. One of the workplace issues in question dealt with the maintenance of wheels and other pieces of equipment.
The railroads have been cutting back dramatically on staffing, which means fewer mechanics having to inspect more cars in less time. So they miss things like bad wheel bearings, which catch on fire, and cause the whole train to derail.
Which is exactly what video shows. pic.twitter.com/8moJMrvZOu
— Lee 🖖 Carter (@carterforva) February 10, 2023
Rail workers even prepared to go on strike because of it. However, left-wing lawmakers and the Biden administration quickly put an end to this.
Some Americans are now stating that if Democrats in power had listened to the concerns rail workers raised in 2022, Ohio would not be dealing with the aftermath of a train derailment and chemical spill.
What do you think is to blame for the train crash and spill of noxious chemicals in Ohio earlier this month? You are more than welcome to sound off with your thoughts below in the comments section.
