Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, impacted by the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern Railway freight train derailment that caused lingering fires and spilled toxic chemicals will not receive assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA)—at least for now—according to Gov. Mike DeWine.
Almost two weeks after a Norfolk Southern Railway train derailed in this village located just west of the Pennsylvania state line, the Ohio governor requested federal assistance for residents dealing with the aftermath.
Since the crash, many residents have said they are experiencing headaches, skin rashes, sore throat, vomiting, and other ailments.
FEMA declined to help because East Palestine is not eligible for disaster assistance, DeWine spokesperson Dan Tierney said on Feb. 16. FEMA said the derailment and subsequent chemical spill and controlled burn that sent toxic chemicals into the air do not qualify as a traditional disaster, like a tornado or hurricane, he added….