On Feb. 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed after a railcar's wheel bearing overheated, causing a fire. Three days later, officials conducted a "controlled release" of several tank cars that were filled with vinyl chloride, a toxic and flammable gas that can cause certain cancers, to prevent an explosion.

Vice President JD Vance visited East Palestine, Ohio, on Monday to mark the second anniversary of a massive rail disaster and toxic waste spill. "I think we can do a lot better at assuring that when you have a terrible train disaster,