WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th February, 2023) Residents of East Palestine in Ohio filed a class action lawsuit against Norfolk Southern to seek restitution for the pollution and massive fire in the aftermath of the infamous train derailment accident, Hagens Berman, one of the law firms representing the victims, said in a press release.
"Attorneys at Youngstown, Ohio area law firm Johnson and Johnson and co-counsel firm, Hagens Berman, yesterday filed a class-action lawsuit seeking restitution from Norfolk Southern Corp., the freight railroad company behind the disastrous Feb. 3, 2023, train derailment and subsequent fire in East Palestine, Ohio," the press release said on Friday.
The lawsuit was filed with the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and seeks monetary restitution for all damages from Norfolk Southern to residents and businesses located within 30 miles of the derailment, the establishment of testing and cleaning protocols, and the creation of a medical monitoring fund, the release said.
The lawsuit also requests injunctive relief in the form of oversight of Norfolk Southern's safety and compliance programs, the release added.
On February 3, a train hauling 20 cars from Norfolk Southern with hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. A big fire erupted due to the derailment, leading to officials burning vinyl chloride inside five of the tanker cars to avoid a catastrophic explosion. The accident released toxic chemicals, including hydrogen chloride, phosgene, butyl acrylate, and ethylene, into the environment.
The CEO of Norfolk Southern has been heavily criticized by the residents and political leaders for the lack of engagement following the disaster. The company's president visited East Palestine, Ohio, but Norfolk Southern representatives did not show up at a public meeting last week where residents gathered, citing fear of physical threats.
Despite repeated assurances that the air and water are safe, residents in the area have told Sputnik of recent health impacts, including headaches, burning skin, and irritated eyes, as well as anxiety about long-term health risks such as cancer. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources told Sputnik in mid-February that approximately 3,500 fish had died in waterways near the train derailment site.
