Evacuations and road closures are in place in an Ohio community just west of Cincinnati after a railroad car began leaking styrene on Tuesday.
The leak was first spotted Tuesday at about 1 p.m. in a rail yard in Cleves, according to WCPO-TV.
Initially, an order to keep windows closed and avoid going outside was issued, but it was followed by an order to evacuate homes within a half-mile of the incident.
The leak has since stopped, officials said.
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Hamilton County spokesperson Bridget Doherty said about 210 homes were evacuated, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
“We don’t yet know the specifics of how this happened,” Tom Ciuba, a representative of the Central Railroad of Indiana, which owns the yard where the car was leaking, said.
“Right now we’re focused on mitigating the situation and then, of course, there will be thorough investigations into what caused the incident,” he added.
“This is going to be a slow process, it’s going to be an all-day event,” Mike Siefke, chief of Little Miami Joint Fire and Rescue District said Wednesday.
Siefke said roads will remain closed for “an undetermined amount of time,” per WCPO.
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exposure to styrene can be linked to cancer.
Styrene, a chemical used in making plastic products, carries a sweet smell and can result in dizziness and other side effects if inhaled.
WCPO reported that air quality near the scene of the leak was listed as moderate and that residents miles from the scene of the leak noticed a strong smell in the air.
Officials just held a news conference with an update on the Whitewater Twp styrene leak. They say:
– The leak has stopped.
– Evacuation is still in place for a half mile radius.
– Air quality is still being tested.
– What caused the leak is still under investigation. pic.twitter.com/gMtqKMPOCZ— Chelsea Sick (@chelseasicknews) September 25, 2024
Siefke said that the temperature of the leaking car was high on Tuesday, triggering fears of an explosion. That led fire officials to douse the car with water to cool it.
As for what’s next, “we’re really at the mercy of the product and the material,” Siefke said.
He said that as of Wednesday morning, no injuries had been reported to authorities.
The car leaking styrene was in a train of 29 cars but has since been separated from the rest of the cars, according to WKRC-TV.
Several local schools in the area have canceled classes for Wednesday.
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