Estimated Tens Of Thousands Of Animals Dead Following East Palestine Ohio Train Derailment

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources estimates that around three weeks after the devastating Norfolk Southern train crash in East Palestine, more than 43,000 animals had perished in the surrounding area.

The Director of the agency, Mary Mertz, stated that officers have been on site every day since the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals on February 3. It is believed that all of the fish that were killed as a result of the incident died immediately after the incident occurred.

Authorities calculated that the derailment resulted in the deaths of 38,222 minnows in addition to around 5,550 additional species, including various different fish, crayfish, and frogs. Within the area of impact, the fatalities happened within a span of five miles.

The agency arrived at that figure through the process of collecting samples and conducting surveys of species that had died in the immediate aftermath of the chemical discharge. Following the collection of 2,936 dead animals at four different locations along the afflicted waterways, officials utilized calculations to estimate the number of wildlife deaths that occurred along the full 7.5-mile-long area that was hit by the spill. According to the agency, there were no endangered or threatened species among those that were killed.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources initially stated that they had found around 3,500 dead animals, based on their visual inspection of the chosen sampling sites. However, the government acknowledged the actual amount of animals collected was less than this number and the computed estimate is better than 10 times higher the collected amount of animals.

After the train derailed and a controlled chemical burn was carried out, some residents of East Palestine stated that their domestic animals were ill or even passed away. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources was asked questions concerning domesticated pets. The agency stated that it was unable to provide any information regarding non-wildlife animals. Instead, a representative of the organization advised the public to discuss the matter with their local vets.

The derailment took place adjacent to a tiny creek known as Sulphur Run, which feeds into Leslie Run, which meets up with Bull Creek then runs into Little Beaver Creek, and finally into the Ohio River. According to the officials, the principal affected region encompassed a portion of Leslie Run, as well as portions of Sulphur Run, Bull Creek, and Little Beaver Creek, as well as the full length of Bull Creek.

Primarily, the Environmental Protection Agency revealed that butyl acrylate and vinyl chloride had been leaked as a result of the derailment. They have now released an updated list of leaked chemicals that includes the two initial substances identified, butly acrylate and vinyl chorideethylh, and added exyl acrylate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and isobutylene to the leaked contaminants list.

At the site of the derailment, the Environmental Protection Agency, which is looking into the release of hazardous substances, has observed that these chemicals have been released into the air, surface soils, and surface waters.

Since the spill, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has stated that it has had officials monitoring all of those affected waterways and will continue to do so in the future. In addition, it has stated that it will continue to monitor the streams.

“We haven’t seen any additional signs of aquatic life suffering,” said agency director Mary Mertz. She added, “In fact, we have seen live fish already returned to Leslie Run.”

The organization claimed it disposed of all of the gathered poisoned wildlife out of caution and to reduce potential harm up the food chain. To stop other animals from consuming the carcasses, ODNR staff members also removed extra dead fish from the affected rivers that weren’t included in the sampling estimates.

Following the train derailment and chemical leak, the agency has stated that it does not believe any terrestrial species were directly damaged as a result of the incident. After the Ohio Department of Natural Resources received a report of deceased animals, the organization did, in fact, collect the bodies of three birds and one opossum. According to what Mertz stated during the news conference, the examination and testing that was conducted on those animals by the Ohio Department of Agriculture showed no signs of chemical poisoning.

The agency added that it has not discovered any proof that wildlife downstream adjacent to the disaster site and the Norfolk Southern train tracks had been harmed. According to the officials, the Ohio River does not appear to have been damaged. Mertz also said that fish caught in larger waterways was safe to eat. Mertz and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources appear hopeful for a quick recovery of the environment surrounding the derailment site.

Norfolk Southern has been ordered by the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct and pay for the cleanup of the disaster site in East Palestine and other affected areas.