East Palestine meeting: Residents, city officials voice frustrations as questions linger
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (KDKA) — Tensions are high more than a week after a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, with many questioning whether they're safe in their homes.
Village officials hoped to reassure the community at an open house Wednesday, but it didn't exactly go on as planned.
People in East Palestine are frustrated, along with those in the greater community like Danielle Miller.
"I did have to leave because the smell was awful and it was instantly just burning my nose, and throat and lungs, eyes," Miller said.
She lives in Enon Valley, three miles from the site of the derailment near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, but she said she's feeling the effects.
"I wanted to get air testing done, but I can't find anyone to come to our area to do it," Miller said.
Miller and others in the community feel they are receiving mixed messaging from various officials on if their air is safe to breathe and their water is safe to drink. They came to the high school to get some answers on Wednesday.
"A lot of the things they're saying I don't really believe anyway, but I just want to see what they're saying," Miller said.
People started lining up more than an hour before the doors opened, with many learning the format changed to an open house, with representatives from agencies like U.S. EPA, Ohio EPA and the Columbiana County Health Department ready to clear up any confusion. Representatives from Norfolk Southern were not on hand, claiming safety concerns for its employees.
Quickly, officials realized their original plan for Wednesday wasn't working out.
"I'd rather have the officials, yeah, standing up there stating what they've done, what they expect to do, answer questions," East Palestine resident Tom Rimbey said.
Mayor Trent Conaway initially wanted to hold the event in the auditorium with a town hall format. And after nearly an hour of running the event as an open house, he changed things up.
"This isn't the way this is supposed to go, we're going to have everybody go up in the stands, they can ask questions. We just hope everybody stays civil," Conaway said.
Conaway is just as outraged about the situation in the village.
"My greatest concern is that my citizens feel safe, that's what I care about," Conaway said.
Residents shared their thoughts together.
"Many people outside this 1-mile radius (are) being affected by this and not getting help because we're not in the 1-mile radius," one woman said.
However, by the end of the night, many may have left with more questions than answers.
"Is everybody satisfied with my answer?" East Palestine Fire Chief Keith Drabick said to the crowd, with the crowd replying "No."
"Listen, I can't help it. It's what we have to go by," Drabick replied.
The village is in a situation beyond its control, left to communicate what experts are telling them.
"I'm a mayor of a town of 4,700 people. If you think I can fight against a railroad or fight against the EPA or fight against any like that, you're crazy," Conaway said.
Conaway said he is going to do whatever it takes to make this right for the village. He said he's not leaving and is not going to sell his house.
"(Norfolk Southern) screwed up our town, they're going to fix it," Conaway said.
A spokesperson for Norfolk Southern told KDKA-TV that it has expanded the eligibility for reimbursements to anyone in the 44413 zip code.