Federal agency launches special investigation into Norfolk Southern after train derailments

A second Norfolk Southern train derailed less than 10 miles from East Palestine in early March

The US National Transportation Safety Board announced it will conduct a special investigation into rail company Norfolk Southern's safety practices and culture following the recent derailments of its trains.

"Given the number and significance of recent Norfolk Southern accidents, the NTSB also urges the company to take immediate action today to review and assess its safety practices, with the input of employees and others, and implement necessary changes to improve safety," the NTSB wrote in a statement.

The company has been under fire since early February after a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The Ohio train derailment made national headlines after hazardous vinyl chloride gas in some of the cars was vented and burned to prevent an explosion. Residents of the village and the surrounding areas have been worried since the derailment that the burned gas will cause health problems and pollute the region's water and ground.

A second Norfolk Southern train derailed in Springfield, Ohio — less than 10 miles away from East Palestine — last week. That train was not carrying hazardous materials.

Another Norfolk Southern train derailed three weeks ago near Detroit. That train was carrying hazardous materials, but response crews said none of the cars on the train were breached.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced in late February that it had placed Norfolk Southern under a binding order forcing it to stay in East Palestine and clean up the aftermath of the disaster upon penalty of fine. The federal agency said Norfolk Southern would have to foot the bill for the clean-up, and if it did not adhere to its plans, the company would be charged triple the cost for the work that needs done.

The company announced on Monday that it planned to revamp its bearing detector network along rail tracks in the wake of the East Palestine disaster.

Ohio Cargo Train Derailment (Springfield-News Sun)

According to preliminary NTSB reports, the East Palestine train derailed after a wheel bearing overheated and failed. Bearing detectors are placed along rail lines and monitor temperatures on the parts to prevent such accidents. The NTSB said it was examining whether more detectors would have alerted the train staff to the overheated bearing earlier.

NTSB Director Jennifer L. Homendy said during a press conference that the derailment in East Palestine was “100 per cent preventable.”

Though train derailments around the country have been making recent headlines in the wake of the East Palestine disaster, the events are not especially uncommon. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the US experiences 1,760 train derailments on average each year.

In the last two months, three trains in Ohio, one near Detroit, one in Nebraska, and another near Houston have derailed.