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Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern

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Re: Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern

#11

Recall when there was an imminent Rail Workers' strike in the news? Which Congress bravely stepped in and prevented? Weren't safety issues like this part of the workers' complaints? There were multiple sightings of axles on fire before the accident: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2023/02/10/...

[flagged]

Re: Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern

#12

So they deliberately ignited it? Knowing vinyl chloride when burned releases hydrogen chloride, a chemical weapon?

Yes, because the alternative was that it would ignite on its own time, eventually, and release it when the area wasn't evacuated. Controlled burn of volatiles is one of the tools in a firefighter's toolbelt for dealing with a HAZMAT situation.

Good summary here: https://twitter.com/RaleighFam/status/1622948184476483585

Fair point that it may explode anyway.

Re: Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern

#14
> Residents are concerned about long-term effects of low-grade exposure.

> “There’s all that smoke and all those chemicals in there,” said Mason Shields, who lives in East Palestine and visited an aid center outside the evacuation zone. “I’m wondering if it’s even going to be safe for people to return within the next week or month or however long.”

Generally speaking, I read the news because I want to learn facts about a topic.

If I wanted to read the thoughts of some random person who is feeling anxious about something they’re ignorant about, I would go on social media.

Re: Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern

#15
post #7

Recall when there was an imminent Rail Workers' strike in the news? Which Congress bravely stepped in and prevented? Weren't safety issues like this part of the workers' complaints? There were multiple sightings of axles on fire before the accident: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2023/02/10/...

I suspect we're seeing more and more of these issues due to corner cutting in various industries. Air travel has already been a tight margin industry and take at look at all the air related issues we've seen recently, from FAA systems down to mass cancelations due to infrastructure to the recent runway conflicts and accidents we've seen. Speaking from anecdotal experience, over the years this constant push for more c…

Make these companies government owned and operate them like the post office.

Re: Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern

#16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, because the alternative was that it would ignite on its own time, eventually, and release it when the area wasn't evacuated. Controlled burn of volatiles is one of the tools in a firefighter's toolbelt for dealing with a HAZMAT situation.

Good summary here: https://twitter.com/RaleighFam/status/1622948184476483585 Fair point that it may explode anyway.

This is a good summary of the situation. One thing the speaker left out is that hydrochloric acid is heavier than air, so while the reaction does result in a bunch of hydrochloric acid, it should react with things in the local environment very quickly to make a hot mess of the immediate environment but not to spread out into the larger ecosystem.

Re: Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern

#17
Here's something for your daily dose of "that's strange:" In 2021 residents of East Palestine, Ohio were extras in filming a train derailment scene for the movie "White Noise"(2022).

"Ratner, 37, is in a traffic jam scene, sitting in a line of cars trying to evacuate after a freight train collided with a tanker truck, triggering an explosion that fills the air with dangerous toxins."

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/11/health/ohio-train-derailment-...

Re: Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern

#18

It would actually be interesting to take a vacation to the media bubble of someone who thinks that there is not a huge problem there. Painting in broad strokes, the distrust is there for the "first, distrust corporations" left and the "first, distrust the media and big government" right. I don't imagine there are many people wholly outside those camps, at least not on something like this.

I think it is mostly all together, "distrust big corporations that are obviously corrupting the government and media". Big corporations that have large political clout and donations to media and then use that to cover for nefarious actions that would normally be illegal and horrifically unethical. When you have corporations writing your laws, they will cover for themselves, even when it is at the cost of human life and voter constituencies.

Re: Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern

#19

Recall when there was an imminent Rail Workers' strike in the news? Which Congress bravely stepped in and prevented? Weren't safety issues like this part of the workers' complaints? There were multiple sightings of axles on fire before the accident: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2023/02/10/...

[deleted]

Re: Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern

#20

Here's something for your daily dose of "that's strange:" In 2021 residents of East Palestine, Ohio were extras in filming a train derailment scene for the movie "White Noise"(2022). "Ratner, 37, is in a traffic jam scene, sitting in a line of cars trying to evacuate after a freight train collided with a tanker truck, triggering an explosion that fills the air with dangerous toxins." https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/11/he…

This odd fact will spawn thousands of conspiracy videos and crisis actor accusations. Cue ominous music…
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