03/03/2023

Melted Equipment in Ohio Train Disaster Spurs Federal Advisory

Freight rail companies now are expected to join safety reporting system

A federal agency has issued a new advisory urging major freight rail companies "to take immediate safety measures to look at the performance of the protective coverings over the pressure relief valves," a spokesperson for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said Thursday.

The advisory, which does not mandate the measures, came as federal investigators probe further into the February 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Several cars from the Norfolk Southern train were carrying the highly combustible chemical vinyl chloride when they derailed. The fiery wreck has since sparked outrage and health concerns in the local community.

Pressure relief devices are designed to prevent pressure inside tank cars from building up and potentially causing an explosion.

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