Today, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine asked the White House for more direct federal support

in the response to the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

A disaster that has been a constant worry for residents in the area for nearly two weeks now.

Since the accident has happened, I haven't been sleeping more than a few hours each night,

because I'm constantly trying to find information.

That is Diane Elzer, who lives and works in East Palestine.

She and the rest of the town had to evacuate after a train carrying chemicals

derailed on February 3rd. One of the chemicals on board, vinyl chloride,

posed a risk of exploding. So, emergency management crews intentionally burned them off,

that created a massive plume of dark smoke all over the town, which state officials

did admit could be hazardous if inhaled. Days later, residents were allowed to go back home,

as the Environmental Protection Agency monitored air quality.

Earlier this week, the EPA said that none of the homes they screen had vinyl, chloride,

or hydrogen chloride in the air. And the EPA said that as of today, there were no water quality

concerns. But many have still been worried about safety. Elzer says she's concerned about

longer-term effects of this chemical in the air and in local waters.

Aside from contractors going around testing air quality and lots of trucks at our local creeks,

doing all sorts of remediation work, it almost seems back to normal.

Maybe it's like a sort of dammically. You don't know when it's going to drop.

You don't know what's going to happen.

Residents of East Palestine have reported smelling a strong odor and some symptoms like red eyes,

nausea, and headaches. Here's Maggie Gugliomo, a local small business owner.

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