(BBC) – A public meeting that was meant to ease fears about a toxic chemical spill in an Ohio town only heightened anger when the rail firm at the heart of the disaster failed to show up.
Representatives of the Norfolk Southern railway company, whose train carrying the chemicals derailed 13 days ago causing a huge fire, cited security concerns when they pulled out.
After the derailment, emergency crews performed a controlled release of vinyl chloride from five railcars that were at risk of exploding.
Thick plumes of black smoke towered over the town, East Palestine, but crews monitoring the air quality sought to reassure locals that it was going as planned.
Despite those assurances from officials, many residents say they continued to be frightened of the potential harms, which they say had impacted humans and wildlife alike.
Thousands of dead fish have appeared in the creeks in the town, while people told local media that their chickens had died suddenly, and that their pets had fallen ill.
Many have reported difficulties getting their water tested, fuelling mistrust at what they see as an ineffective and inadequate response to the crisis.
Even before the event began, the company’s absence left many residents seething.
“They have something to hide. You don’t back out of questions if you know how to answer them,” East Palestine resident Jaime Cozza said. “It was like a bomb went through our town.”
