Ohio train tragedy ‘100% avoidable' Regulator

(RT) ⸻ The devastating chemical spill caused by the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio earlier this month was "100% preventable" according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB's preliminary report revealed that the temperature of one of the train's wheel bearings spiked 215 degrees Fahrenheit over the last 30 miles (48km) it traveled, and while the engineer quickly acted to slow the train, the bearing reportedly failed, causing a derailment at the 23rd car. The plastic pellets inside the car caught fire when they were exposed to the overheated bearings, soon spreading to the 11 other cars containing hazardous materials. The NTSB will continue to investigate whether industry safety standards regarding the heat threshold for high-temperature alarms and other defect detectors, rail car and wheel design, and the spacing of sensors along the track need tweaking. Norfolk Southern's inspection practices will also be scrutinized, and the agency will look at whether the rail operator properly disposed of the vinyl chloride. Residents have blamed the fire for a growing number of bird, livestock and fish deaths as well as water contamination in the area, although state and federal officials insist the air and water are safe.