WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a two-day investigative hearing in East Palestine, Ohio, on June 22-23, as part of the ongoing investigation into the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern Railway train and subsequent hazardous material release and fires.
The investigative hearing, to be held at East Palestine High School beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern time both days, will focus on: hazard communications and emergency responder preparedness for the initial emergency response; the circumstances that led to the decision to vent and burn five rail tank cars carrying vinyl chloride; freight car bearing failure modes and wayside detection systems; and tank car derailment damage, crashworthiness, and hazardous materials package information. NTSB investigative hearings gather sworn testimony from witnesses on issues the agency identifies during the investigation. While the investigative hearing is open to the public, only NTSB board members, investigators, scheduled witnesses and parties to the hearing are allowed to participate. The public is invited to observe the hearing.
