Residents of East Palestine, Ohio were horrified by a viral video showing Republican Senator J.D. Vance disturbing the creek bed near the site of last week’s Norfolk Southern train derailment, causing chemical bubbles to rise to the surface like an omen of impending danger.
The crash had already caused massive disruption in the area, with authorities ordering all residents within one mile of the crash site to evacuate and initiating a controlled burn of industrial chemicals on board the derailed train cars in order to prevent any potential explosions that could scatter shrapnel throughout the town. It is believed that five of these cars released vinyl chloride – a known carcinogen used for PVC manufacturing – into the air in plumes of dark smoke that were visible from east Ohio to western Pennsylvania.
Visited a local creek in East Palestine today. These waterways are still very polluted. It’s time for Norfolk Southern to finish the cleanup. Check this video out: pic.twitter.com/4lsHBmrMJj
— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) February 16, 2023
Vance shocked viewers when he posted a video from a creek in East Palestine. In the footage, Vance pointed out “dead worms and dead fish” in the water before he used a stick to disturb the bottom of the creek – and was met with an oily sheen of chemicals bubbling up to the surface.
“This is disgusting,” Vance said, his expression one of disbelief as he observed the evidence of environmental toxicity. He urged onlookers not to forget about those living in East Palestine, who have been affected by the invisible presence of these chemicals seeping into their ground.
The EPA said that “test results from the village’s municipal well sampling showed no water quality concerns” while Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) announced that tests conducted by the Ohio EPA revealed “no detection of contaminants in raw water from the five wells that feed into East Palestine’s municipal water system.” However, Vance remained unconvinced, urging people not to forget about those living in East Palestine who could be inadvertently exposed to dangerous toxins.
