'Are my grandbabies going to get cancer?': Why Ohio residents are scared about the air they breathe

Video report by ITV News correspondent Geraint Vincent; words by multimedia producer Suzanne Elliott

Residents in a village in the United States are desperately seeking answers after a freight train carrying toxic chemicals derailed earlier this month, resulting in a fire that sent billowing smoke and flames into the air for days.

Fears of an explosion meant the resulting chemical spill and derailed carriages were burnt several days later by the train company who said it was safer to do so.

The controlled fire left a black mushroom cloud hanging over the area, causing further alarm among residents in East Palestine.

Railway operator Norfolk Southern says the air and drinking water in the area is safe, and says it is continuing to monitor the environmental impact.

But despite these reassurances, some residents in the community of some 4,700 have left the area and many are worried about lasting effects on children and animals.

Campaigner Erin Brockovich joined their fight for answers as residents accused Norfolk Southern of not responding to their concerns.

What happened and what was the train carrying?

A 50-carriage train carrying chemicals derailed on the outskirts of the village of East Palestine on February 3, as a result, it is believed, of a mechanical issue with an axle.

Fearing an explosion, officials evacuated the area and chose to release and burn toxic vinyl chloride from five carriages, sending more flames and black smoke billowing into the sky.

Two weeks later, residents are concerned about the persistent smells and memories of that huge plume of smoke. They are worried about long and short-term health hazards, risks to pets and wild animals, the potential effects on drinking water and what is happening with the cleanup.

What are residents worried about?

The controlled burn of hazardous materials from the five carriages released toxic chemicals into the atmosphere.

Among them was vinyl chloride, which is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, and officials at the time warned burning it would release two concerning gases - hydrogen chloride and phosgene, the latter of which was used as a weapon in World War I.In addition to vinyl chloride, at least three other substances — butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether — were released into the air, soil or water, according to a US Environmental Protection Agency letter.

The agency put Norfolk Southern on notice about its potential liability for cleanup costs.

Officials insist the air and drinking water is safe, but the chemical spill has contaminated streams and killed about 3,500 fish. There have been anecdotal reports of pets or livestock becoming sick, but no related animal deaths have been confirmed.

Meanwhile, environmental activist Erin Brockovich, whose fight against a California power company accused of polluting a city's water was made into a 2000 film starring Julia Roberts, said there must be independent testing.

"It's the only way the people in the town and in the immediate area are going to feel safe. There is the environmental crisis but also the human one and these people need the support," she wrote on Twitter.

What is being done?

Norfolk Southern’s response has included efforts to remove spilt contaminants from the ground surface and nearby streams, as well as air quality monitoring, soil sampling and residential water well surveys, according to its preliminary remediation plan.

They say continuing air monitoring - including testing inside nearly 400 homes - has not detected dangerous levels in the area since residents were allowed to return.

On Tuesday, ahead of a town hall meeting, Norfolk Southern announced it would put up a $1 million fund to help the community. It is also continuing remediation work, including removing spilt contaminants from the ground and streams and monitoring air quality.

It also said it would reimburse residents for evacuation costs.

“We will be judged by our actions," Norfolk Southern President, and CEO Alan Shaw said in a statement that the company is "cleaning up the site in an environmentally responsible way.”

What do local residents say?

At a town hall meeting on Wednesday, angry residents demanded more transparency from railway operator Norfolk Southern.

There were no representatives of Norfolk Southern at the meeting, claiming there were safety concerns for its staff.

“They just danced around the questions a lot," said Danielle Deal, who lives a few miles from the derailment site. “Norfolk needed to be here.”

Concerns about air quality and the hazardous chemicals on board the train have prompted some village residents to leave the area despite an evacuation order being lifted.

Ms Deal is among those who have left the immediate area, taking her two children to stay with her mother, 13 miles away.

But "we could still see the mushroom cloud, plain as day,” she said.

“Why are they being hush-hush?" Kathy Dyke said of the railroad. “They’re not out here supporting, they’re not out here answering questions. For three days we didn’t even know what was on the train."

“I have three grandbabies,” she said. “Are they going to grow up here in five years and have cancer? So those are all factors that play on my mind.”

Ms Brockovich advised people to "get the hell out of there".

On February 11, she wrote on Twitter: "I’m trying to gather information on this very serious situation in Ohio involving a train derailment with hazardous chemicals. What I will say is this. Trust your eyes, ears and nose and get the hell out of there if your senses are telling you too."

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