Pa. lawmakers question state officials at hearing over train derailment and its impact
DARLINGTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — People who live near the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, poured over every word from state emergency officials on Tuesday.
Those state officials testified at a state House hearing, describing the state's response to the derailment and its toxic aftermath. More than two dozen Pennsylvania lawmakers directed questions at officials with the state Emergency Management Agency, state Department of Environmental Protection, state Department of Agriculture and state Department of Health on behalf of the people in Darlington Township who said they are scared and need help.
"In 10 years, what if I'm sick with cancer and gone?" said Christina Siceloff. "Who's going to take care (of my son)? And is he going to get sick with cancer?"
Siceloff and her family live in Darlington Township, five miles from where the train derailed in East Palestine.
"There are way more people affected by this than just East Palestine, and just 1 mile in East Palestine," Siceloff said.
Tuesday's hearing was to discuss how this disaster is impacting people like Siceloff and her son, Edward.
"Discussing what we're dealing with, the scope of what we're dealing with, and how to mitigate it going forward," state Rep. Josh Kail said. "Now why this occurred, that's a whole different question."
The what and why are both questions to haunt Christina Siceloff.
"Thinking about my kid and if he's going to be sick, thinking about other kids and if they're going to be sick, and how nobody will do anything to help them," she said.
Last week, we learned about several million dollars coming to Beaver County from Norfolk Southern. KDKA-TV asked one of the state reps from Beaver County if there was any more information about when that was coming and who would get it, and he said that's still being figured out.