Residents living in a southwestern Ohio community have been asked to shelter in place "out of an abundance of caution" after a train derailed Saturday.
A spokesperson for Norfolk Southern told WDTN, the NBC affiliate in Dayton, approximately 20 cars of a 212-car train derailed while traveling south through the city of Springfield. The company said no one was injured in the derailment and that no hazardous materials were involved.
The Clark County Emergency Management Agency is asking residents living within 1,000 feet of the derailment to shelter in place "out of an abundance of caution," but isn't making evacuations mandatory.
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The incident in Springfield comes one month after a toxic derailment involving a separate Norfolk Southern train near East Palestine, Ohio, led to evacuations and fears of air and water contamination after a controlled burning of chemicals.
No one was injured when 38 cars derailed in a fiery, mangled mess on the outskirts of East Palestine on Feb. 3. As fears grew about a potential explosion, officials seeking to avoid an uncontrolled blast had the area evacuated and opted to release and burn toxic vinyl chloride from five rail cars, sending flames and black smoke billowing into the sky again.
State and federal officials have repeatedly offered assurances that air monitoring hasn’t detected any remaining concerns. Even low levels of contaminants that aren’t considered hazardous can create lingering odors or symptoms such as headaches, Ohio’s health director previously said.
