Last month, the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, caused huge fires and toxic chemicals to pollute the small town.

Vinyl chloride was slowly released into the air from five derailed cars before Cruz ignited it to get rid of the highly flammable toxic chemicals in a controlled environment.

And then Cruz released more chemicals and burned rail cars.

They said it would prevent more contamination and more explosions,

but worried about health concerns, residents fled.

It smelled like really, really strong paint thinner.

And then his eyes turned like bloodshot, and he started coughing,

and I was like, yeah, we're leaving. So we hurry up and grabbed as much as we could, and we took off.

Those same authorities say everything is safe now, so East Palestine residents don't have to worry

about a thing. But, well, folks are skeptical. Are we cleaning enough? Are we cleaning it with the right

stuff? It's a tale as old as time, after a man-made environmental catastrophe.

The government says everything is safe, while residents of the affected area, usually working

class, usually people of color, always, always know better.

This is so much bigger than just it in the water.

Our environment, our wildlife animals, our farmers that have to till their soil up.

I'm Gustavo Ariano.

You're listening to The Times.

Essential News from the LA Times.

It's Friday, March 10, 2023.

Today, when hazardous materials attack, oil spills, toxic plumes, bumbling government responses, and more.

It's times like these that we turn to my colleagues of catastrophe, our doges of danger, the scribe tribe that lets me diatribe. Yup, it's time for Masters of Disaster, Zah, Zah, Musica Maestro. Up first in the energy chair is Sammy Roth.

So Sammy, how are the Dodgers going to do this year?

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