
An Ohio mayor had strong words for rail operator Norfolk Southern Railway, promising that he would hold the company accountable as East Palestine residents returned home for the first time since a train hauling chemicals derailed and later sent up a toxic plume of smoke last week.
Trent Conaway, East Palestine's mayor, acknowledged that his community remains frustrated due to lingering odors and promised the village is "not just taking the word" of Norfolk Southern Railway and has Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) representatives involved in air testing.
He told The Associated Press that the village’s drinking water system is being tested daily and is safe and that his primary concern is the health of his constituents.