50-car train derailment causes big fire and evacuation in Ohio

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — A train derailment and resulting large fire prompted an evacuation order and a declaration of emergency in an Ohio village near the Pennsylvania state line Friday night, engulfing the area in puffs of smoke lit by the orange flames below.

About 50 vehicles derailed in East Palestine as the train was carrying various cargo from Madison, Illinois, to Conway, Pennsylvania, rail operator Norfolk Southern said in a statement Saturday. There was no immediate information about what caused the crash. No injuries were reported.

East Palestine village mayor Trent Conaway declared a state of emergency, citing a “train derailment with hazardous materials.” Norfolk Southern said the train was carrying more than 100 cars, 20 of which were classified as carrying hazardous materials, defined as cargo that could pose any hazard, “including flammable, combustible or environmental risks.”

The National Transportation Safety Board said on Saturday that it is “assembling a team to investigate” the crash, with board member Michael Graham “will act as an official representative at the scene.”

Firefighters have been recalled from the immediate area and flow drones are being used for protection while crews try to determine which vehicles are still actively on fire, local authorities said in a separate statement on Saturday. They said they hope to use drones to assess the scene in daylight and warned that residents may hear more explosions when the fire is burning.

The village notified residents that an evacuation order for people within a mile of the scene remained in place on Saturday morning. A high school and community center were opened to house dozens of people, and residents outside that radius were urged to stay inside.

Among the dozens of residents who took refuge at the high school was Ann McEnlis, who said a neighbor wrote her a message about the crash.

“She photographed the glow of the sky from the front porch,” McEnlis told WFMJ-TV. “That’s when I realized how important it is.”

Conaway told reporters that firefighters from three states had arrived at the scene. The crash occurred about 51 miles northwest of Pittsburgh and within 20 miles of the tip of the Northern Panhandle in West Virginia.

Freezing temperatures in the single digits made the reaction difficult, Conaway said, as trucks pumping water froze.

Hazmat crews also arrived at the scene to determine if hazardous materials were involved, and air quality in the area is being monitored, officials said.

Norfolk Southern said it has staff who coordinate with first responders.

The fire produced so much smoke that local meteorologists said it was visible on weather radar.