On Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern train derailed, and some 50 chemical-carrying railcars derailed, with many splitting open and catching fire. Already, residents of East Palestine have reported oily residues evident in local waterways where they get their tap water as well as suffering physical signs and symptoms, even though federal and state officials are telling them 'everything is okay.'
In addition, according to many residents, the sounds of wildlife in the area -- chittering of squirrels and the tweeting chirps of birds -- are also missing, the UK's Daily Mail reported.
Within 24 hours of the February 3 disaster, a massive, acrid black cloud emanating from the fiery wreck swept over the property of Nathan and Kelly Izotic, carried by a westerly wind. Adding to the personal tragedy for the couple, the water that nourishes the winding creek near their home is sourced from a supply that has been directly contaminated by the catastrophe.
The environmental and potentially life-threatening aftermath of the Norfolk Southern rail company's 'chemical bomb' derailment has impacted the couple on two fronts. They have suffered from painful sickness and coughed up blood since the incident, and now fear the possibility of a cancer diagnosis in the future due to the presence of two known carcinogenic chemicals in the fiery cloud produced by the crash. The couple's recently purchased 15-acre property is now facing an environmental disaster. The wildlife has disappeared, and they worry that it may never return, the outlet reports.
"We had red and gray squirrels through this property, constantly chitter-chattering to each other. It was pretty loud," Kelly, a chemical lab tech, told the outlet. "And now there are none. They've gone completely because of the toxicity all around them right here. There's no small birds either. They were everywhere, but they've taken off. That must tell you something."
"Within 24 hours we had burning noses, burning lips, chest congestion, sore throats and headaches, big, big headaches," Kelly, 45, continued. "My German Shepherd dog Diesel kept throwing up and was lethargic."
"The thick cloud was billowing right over our house for the two days we stayed," Nathan, 29, an energy industry worker, told the outlet. "The day after the derailment I started having symptoms, almost like Covid symptoms, like someone was pushing down on my chest. I had very strong pressure. Throughout the day it started getting severe. I had a very bad cough, very bad feeling in my lungs and throat. And the following day, it got worse. I had burning on my lips, nose, and eyes and a severe cough."
The couple rapidly packed up their belongings and departed to another property located near the border between Pennsylvania and New York.
"I woke up about 6am after the night we evacuated and I was on the verge of calling the ER. I was coughing up blood," Nathan continued, the Daily Mail noted. "All I could think of was to strip down and cool myself off and go outside to get some relief. I was hot all over. I was very tired. It was until Thursday or Friday that week until I started to feel some relief. Coming back here now though, my lips are starting to get tingly again, and I feel a scratch in my throat and I'm getting headaches."
Kelly told the outlet as well: "We were at the doctor yesterday, and they said they don't even have a toxicology test to be able to test us because they still don't know what they are dealing with. So they can't even test us – all they can do is treat symptoms. It's terrifying."
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