Although people were told it's safe to go home, some residents are still worried about how safe their homes really are.

 

Ohio's Governor gathered experts to answer residents questions.

 

They talked about tests of air in the former no go zone and long term monitoring. 

 

WFMJ News has requested the data to review the test results for both air and water. 

 

East Palestine officials breathed a sigh of relief that loss of life was prevented during what could have been a catastrophe.But people eager to get back in to their homes are still worried. We have been requesting copies of the data to see the actual test results that officials based their decisions upon. 

 

Governor Mike DeWine gave the news that officials with the US EPA, Ohio EPA, and the National Gaurd Civil Support Team have determinend testing shows it's safe for people in the one mile evacuation zone to go home. 

 

"They can go right now, or they can chose to wait until after their homes are tested," Governor Mike DeWine said.

 

They say the tests for toxic butyl acrylate are back to normal levels. 

 

And they add hydrogen chloride and phosgene byproducts produced during the burn off and controlled explosion of vinyl chloride are almost back to normal levels prior to the Norfolk Southern train derailment six days ago. 

 

Phosgene is a gas that seeks the ground and lower lying levels such as basements or valleys. 

 

Folks concerned can call this hotline number 234-542-6474 to reach a toxicologist to discuss concerns. 

 

Business owners with losses, and people forced to evacuate their homes can seek help from Norfolk Southern at the support center open from 10 a.m. to 8 pm. 

 

Lodging, meals, clothing and other items folks needed to buy who live in the one mile radius evacuation zones will be reimbursed for those expenses.

 

Businesses who lost revenue while being forced to close along with folks who lost paychecks due to work being closed in that no go zone can seek reimbursement from Norfolk Southern at the Family Support Center.

 

All train cars have been cleared from the tracks and Norfolk Southern will be removing them from the site.

 

"The grossly contaminated material should be getting collected. The liquids should be getting collected and containerized for disposal. Then again the sampling during the remediation phase, they'll come in where they do collect soil samples, they will compare it, with that is the best option for the long term clean up phase," Ohio EPA's Emergency Response Team Leader Kurt Kollar said.

 

Then long term clean up will continue.

Governor Mike DeWine explains who will pick up the costs for clean up, and continuing long term testing.

 

"Norfolk Southern will pay for it," Governor Mike DeWine said. 

 

"I think we expect Norfolk Southern to have answers to exactly what happened and candidly to explain that they are going to do to prevent that from happening here or someplace else in the future. The burden is on them to assure the public what they do is safe," DeWine emphasized. 

 

The National Transportation Board is continuing it's investigation into the cause of the train derailment.

 

On social media sites some residents who went home state they are leaving and warn others to not return yet due the smell of chemicals in their homes.

 

Others complain about side effects such as headache, coughing, a sore throat, and breathing issues.  They warn others not to go home permanently yet.