EAST PALESTINE, OH -- Today, officials from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) traveled to East Palestine, O.H., as the U.S. Department of Transportation continues to support the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in their investigation into the cause of the Norfolk Southern derailment on February 3.
FRA Administrator Amit Bose and PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown took part in a scheduled inspection of the 11 derailed tank cars involved in the Norfolk Southern incident and toured the site of the derailment with firefighters, rail car owners, support staff from Norfolk Southern, and the NTSB. This inspection is a necessary step in the ongoing investigation to identify failure mode and mechanism, looking for conditions of the tank car that do not comply with the regulation or the design requirements, as well as photographing and documenting the tank cars.
In the afternoon, Administrator Amit Bose and Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown gathered with representatives from the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART TD), Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWED), Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), Brotherhood Railway Carmen (BRC), and International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) for a listening session focused on actions to increase safety and prevent further incidents like the one in East Palestine.
During the listening session, first responders and fire fighters thanked DOT officials for their visit and prompt response to the incident in addition to the emergency training grants available through PHMSA.
In recent years PHMSA’s hazardous materials grant programs have helped to train over 3000 first responders across Ohio including IAFF firefighters that responded to this derailment.
First responders and labor leaders also provided feedback to DOT officials on steps they believe would help improve safety.
Today’s visit is part of the work DOT has been doing for weeks to help get to the bottom of the derailment.
USDOT Officials take part in a scheduled inspection of the 11 derailed tank cars involved in the Norfolk Southern incident.
FRA Administrator Amit Bose and PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown tour the site of the derailment.
Administrator Amit Bose and Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown gathered with representatives from the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (Smart TD), Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWED), Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), Brotherhood Railway Carmen (BRC), and International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) for a listening session focused on actions to increase safety and prevent further incidents like the one in East Palestine.
