More residents of East Palestine, Ohio, have complained about unusual health problems in the wake of the train derailment in their town that released toxic chemicals into the air, ground, and water.
Wade Lovett, a resident, told the New York Post on Feb. 25 that he’s had issues with his breathing since the derailment and controlled burn of a range of hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride.
“Doctors say I definitely have the chemicals in me but there’s no one in town who can run the toxicological tests to find out which ones they are,” Lovett told the newspaper, which published a video of his interview. In the footage, Lovett’s voice seemed to sound much higher than normal.
“My voice sounds like Mickey Mouse. My normal voice is low. It’s hard to breathe, especially at night,” he said. “My chest hurts so much at night I feel like I’m drowning. I cough up phlegm a lot. I lost my job because the doctor won’t release me to go to work.”
Shelby Walker, who lives near the derailment site, said she’s also suffered health issues. Her family members have also experienced a variety of symptoms, she told the paper.
“The bad smell comes and goes,” Walker said. “Yesterday was the first day in probably three or four days that I could smell anything. I lost my smell and my sense of taste. I had an eye infection in both eyes. I was having respiratory issues like I was just out of breath. Other members of my family have had eye infections and strep throat.
“The cleanup crew drives past us at night and won’t even look at us. It’s like we don’t exist. No one has reached out to us or told us anything,” she added.
Residents of East Palestine were told they could return to their homes on Feb. 8 after the controlled release and burning of vinyl chloride, which emitted a massive cloud into the sky. Since then, there have been reports from locals of health issues, while others have reported thousands of animal deaths in the area.
