The Norfolk Southern train operator said the freight train was traveling from Madison, Illinois, to Conway, Pennsylvania. It derailed when it reached the town of East Palestine, Ohio, bordering Pennsylvania, on the afternoon of February 3 (local time).

The AP news agency described that about 50 train cars derailed and overturned, causing a serious fire that burned the goods inside. From there, it was revealed that the train was illegally transporting toxic substances.

Authorities initially recorded that 20 out of more than 100 cars were classified as carrying hazardous materials – meaning explosive, flammable or posing a risk to the environment. Notably, among the toxic chemicals on the train was vinyl chloride.

According to the US National Cancer Institute, vinyl chloride is used to produce many types of plastics, it can increase the risk of causing liver cancer and other cancers.

The scene of the 50 train cars that overturned and burned fiercely in East Palestine on February 3 (US time). Photo: AP

“At this time, we are verifying what dangerous substances were contained in the train cars, if any, it would be a violation of the law,” said Michael Graham, a member of the US National Transportation Safety Board.

After the accident, dozens of fire brigades from the local area and three neighboring states were mobilized to the scene. However, firefighting efforts encountered many difficulties due to the extremely low temperature.

The fire with toxic chemicals continues to spread into the surrounding environment, forcing authorities to evacuate nearly 2,000 people living within a 1.6 km radius in the town of East Palestine. The railway line is currently blocked in both directions.

East Palestine has an area of ​​about 8.2 km2 with a population of more than 4,700 people. The town is located about 82 km northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The cause of this train derailment is still under investigation, but due to its serious nature, US authorities have opened a federal investigation.