A truck carrying soil polluted by the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment overturned Monday afternoon in Columbiana County, spilling out 20,000 pounds of toxic soil.
According to local authorities and the Ohio EPA, the truck was carrying 40,000 pounds of contaminated soil from the derailment site at the time.
Despite dumping out thousands of pounds of contaminated soil along the roadway, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said, ‘the spill was contained and is not a threat to nearby waterways.’
The crash comes just two months after a Norfolk Southern train went off the tracks on February 3 in East Palestine while carrying numerous hazardous substances.
Residents in the area have been jostled back and forth by local officials, having been forced to evacuate initially and then later told there was no cause for concern.
A truck carrying soil polluted by the East Palestine , Ohio train derailment overturned Monday afternoon in Columbiana County, spilling out 20,000 pounds of toxic soil
The crash comes just two months after a Norfolk Southern train went off the tracks on February 3 in East Palestine while carrying numerous hazardous substances
Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers were called to state Route 165 around 1pm on Monday for a single vehicle crash involving a tractor with a trailer.
The tractor trailer had an open top, Highway Patrol officials said.
74-year-old driver, Phillip Falck, traveled off the side of the road for unknown reasons, hitting a ditch and utility pole before eventually overturning.
Upon arrival at the scene, troopers said they found the truck ‘on its side, off of the right side of the roadway.’
Officials said Falck was ‘cited for operating a vehicle without reasonable control.’
He sustained minor injuries in the crash, FOX 8 Cleveland reported.
The truck was removed from the site immediately after the crash.
Local outlets captured footage of crews cleaning up the scene along the road, using an excavator to pick up the spoiled soil.
Several ‘Road Closed’ signs were placed along state Route 165 for hours on Monday and the area was closed off to the public throughout the day.
Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers were called to state Route 165 around 1pm on Monday for a single vehicle crash involving a tractor with a trailer
74-year-old driver, Phillip Falck, traveled off the side of the road for unknown reasons, hitting a ditch and utility pole before eventually overturning
This was the original site after the crash in East Palestine in February
As of April 10, rail operators have said some 20,000 tons of contaminated soil have been removed from the derailment site
Nearly 10 million gallons of wastewater have been removed from the derailment site
On the same day that the tractor trailer overturned, a new health clinic was opened in East Palestine to address health concerns following the derailment.
‘The grand opening of the East Liverpool City Hospital East Palestine Clinic represents our continued commitment to this community,’ Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a release on Monday.
‘We realize that the people of East Palestine need long-term support, and they deserve another primary care option close to home. This new clinic will provide that,’ DeWine continued.
In February, spillage from the train caused contaminants to be leaked into the surrounding environment and thousands of fish were killed.
Despite widespread and continued concern, Norfolk Southern said at the end of February that ‘substantial contamination’ in soil and water had been removed.
As of April 10, rail operators have said some 20,000 tons of contaminated soil have been removed from the derailment site.
The EPA has stated that more than 17,000 tons of toxic soil remain and will still need to be removed.
Nearly 10 million gallons of wastewater have also been removed from the derailment site.
This was the massive plume of smoke over East Palestine, Ohio after a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in eastern Ohio
The fire and smoke were constant for days in the area after the derailment
This is the original evacuation map released by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s office
‘You need to leave, you just need to leave. This is a matter of life and death,’ said Gov. DeWine at a press conference back in February, pleading with residents to evacuate
Another view of the massive plume of smoke coming from the train derailment in Ohio
East Palestine is located right near the border of Ohio and Pennsylvania
This is an overhead shot of some of the train cars damaged in the derailment
In February, the EPA ordered Norfolk Southern to clean up the contaminated mess and said that if the train company did not comply with the order, the agency will do the work and bill Norfolk Southern triple the cost.
Cleanup efforts since then have been ongoing and hefty, even amid reports that the air in East Palestine may be toxic.
Experts from Texas A&M and Carnegie Mellon University have been conducting their own air quality tests using a mobile testing unit in East Palestine.
The group said that if the chemicals persist at the current levels, it could cause long-term health issues for residents.
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