Environmental advocate Erin Brockovich will hold two town hall meetings later this week to talk with Ohio and Pennsylvania residents affected by the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine.
The first town hall meeting is scheduled for Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 p..m. in Pennsylvania at Blackhawk High School, 500 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls.
The second town hall is scheduled for Thursday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in Ohio at the Main Street Theater, 5 N Main St., Columbiana.
Residents who have been impacted and wish to attend either event must register here.
Brockovich will be joined by Jessica Conrad, a lifelong East Palestine resident who "raised her voice for her community following the derailment and has accepted an official role as the East Palestine Justice Community Advocate."
Residents will be able to speak with representatives from Bevan & Associates as well as Mikal Watts, a trial attorney, about questions regarding legal action options.
The derailment
Dozens of cars, including 10 carrying hazardous materials, derailed in a fiery crash on Feb. 3 in East Palestine. Vinyl chloride was later released into the air from five of those cars before crews ignited it to get rid of the highly flammable, toxic chemicals in a controlled environment, creating a dark plume of smoke.
Residents from nearby neighborhoods in Ohio and Pennsylvania were evacuated because of health risks from the fumes but were told on Feb. 8 that it was safe to return home.
The National Transportation Safety Board has since released its initial report on the derailment, stating the train crew tried to stop the train in East Palestine when they received an alert about one of the car's wheel bearings overheating to a critical temperature of over 250 degrees above the ambient temperature.
CLICK HERE to read News 5's previous coverage of the East Palestine Train Derailment.
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