Ohio asks Biden for medical experts on ground near train wreck site

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Ohio Governor Mark DeWine demanded help from President Joe Biden in deploying medical experts on the ground in the town of East Palestine where a train wreck caused a huge fire and the release of the toxic chemical vinyl chloride, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director Anne Vogel said on Thursday.

"This morning the Governor did talk with President Biden, he has requested assistance from the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]," Vogel said during a press conference in East Palestine.

"He has requested assistance in terms of medical professionals on the ground to provide physical and mental behavioral health counseling services. so that request was formalized just a little bit ago," she added.

EPA chief Michael Regan advised those experiencing any adverse health reaction to seek immediate medical attention and to communicate with health agencies to provide them with relevant information.

Three days following the train derailment, authorities burned vinyl chloride inside five tanker cars, which released hydrogen chloride and phosgene, media reports say.

Tests indicate that the surrounding air and water are safe for residents, according to the EPA; however, more tests are being conducted on a daily basis to ensure public health safety.  

In the meantime, after the toxic chemicals were released into the air following the derailment, around 3,500 fish died in waterways near the derailment, and many residents complained about symptoms like nausea and headaches.

Check out: Ecological disaster hits Ohio

It is worth noting that after the worst ecological disaster hit Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine invited evacuated residents to go back to their homes and drink from the polluted water, claiming it is "safe".

East Palestine: New water testing results show no detection of contaminants in East Palestine’s municipal water system. With these test results, @OhioEPA is confident that the municipal water is safe to drink.

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) February 15, 2023

An area to which scientists and engineers weren't granted access under the pretext of not putting them "in harm's way" less than 2 weeks ago was allegedly announced "safe" by the Governor. 

Rail firm skipping public meeting causes commotion

A public meeting held by impacted residents hoping to voice their concerns to the involved rail company was disappointed when the company decided to pull out from the meeting at the last minute. Hundreds showed up at a high school gymnasium to address the disaster and get the answers they were longing for.

Some wanted to investigate the details of the incident itself with its causes and effects. Some wanted to be reimbursed with supplies and money given that they'd been away from their homes. Others wanted to discuss their symptoms as they hold the incident accountable for their health issues. 

"We have estimated based on our sampling and modeling about 3500 dead fish across that space across those streams, tributaries, waterways," Mertz said during a press conference on Tuesday. "There doesn't appear to be any increase in the fish or aquatic creatures killed since the first couple days of the derailment."

Locals in the East Palestine, Ohio area have been doubtful of US Environmental Protection Agency claims that it is safe to return home, NewsNation reported on Monday.

Since then, locals have reported feeling unwell and have noticed animals becoming ill and fish dying in bodies of water.