Vowing that “our company will be working tirelessly every day to get East Palestine back on its feet as soon as possible,” Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw visited the eastern Ohio village where his company’s train derailed on Feb. 3, sending toxic chemicals into the air and onto the ground.
“I am here to support the community,” Shaw said in a Feb. 17 statement. “We know we will be judged by our actions, and we are taking this accountability and responsibility very seriously.”
Shaw released an open letter to East Palestine residents on Feb. 16.
“We will not walk away, East Palestine.
Portions of a Norfolk and Southern freight train that derailed Friday night in East Palestine, Ohio, are still on fire at mid-day, on Feb. 4, 2023. (Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo)
“When I visited East Palestine last week, you told me how the train derailment has upended your lives and how concerned you are about the safety of your air, water, and land. Many of you have also reached out to Norfolk Southern to share your fears, your anger, and your frustration….