Thousands of fish found dead after train derailment
More than a week after a train hauling hazardous material derailed in northeastern Ohio and crews sent toxic chemicals pluming into the air in an effort to avoid an explosion, more and more fish are showing up dead in creeks near the area.
An estimated 3,500 fish have been killed in various creeks around and near Columbiana County as a result of crews burning toxic chemicals after a Norfolksouthern train derailed in East Palestine, near the Pennsylvania state line, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
That estimate was as of Feb. 8, and ODNR officials are working with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the environmental company hired by Norfolk-southern, to fully determine the extent of fish that have been killed, said ODNR spokeswoman Stephanie O'grady.
So far, wildlife officers with ODNR have found dead fish in various creeks in the area, including Leslie Run, Bull Creek and a portion of the North Fork of Beaver Creek, O'grady said. The estimated stream length effected by the spill is approximately 7.5 miles.
Most of the fish appear to be small suckers, minnows, darters and sculpin, O'grady said.
Officials said the railroad cars from which the toxic chemicals were released were in danger of exploding. They were part of a convoy that derailed in a fiery
crash in East Palestine around 9 p.m. Feb. 3. The 141-car Norfolk-southern train was heading from Madison, Illinois, to Conway, Pennsylvania.
Officials deemed it safe on Feb. 8 for evacuated residents to return to the Ohio village five days after the disaster occurred once air monitoring efforts did not detect dangerous levels inside or outside the evacuation zone stretching into Pennsylvania.
In Columbus, a spokesperson for the city's department of public utilities said Monday that the derailment was far from nearby watersheds and posed no risk to local water supplies. elagatta@dispatch.com @Ericlagatta