by Maximillian Alvarez | Dec 29, 2025 | east palestine, Economy and Inequality, Politics and Movements: US, railroad, sacrifice zones, video
On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern ‘bomb train’ carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in the small town of East Palestine, Ohio. Three days later, Norfolk Southern pressured local authorities to dump and burn five tanker cars full of vinyl chloride, blasting a toxic mushroom cloud into the air and exposing residents to toxins that have poisoned their bodies and homes. In the weeks, months, and years following the East Palestine derailment and chemical disaster, the Environmental Protection Agency assured residents that the air, soil, and water in their community was safe. But when independent testing expert and Blue Shirt Justice League founder Scott Smith began testing for toxins in and around East Palestine, his findings revealed a horrifying truth that, according to Smith, Norfolk Southern and the EPA have tried to cover up.
Additional links/info:
Scott Smith Facebook page
Blue Shirt Justice League website and Facebook page
Government Accountability Project, “Initial FOIA Findings Suggest EPA Efforts to Surveil and Discredit Environmental Whistleblower”
Kelly Kennedy, WHSV 3, “Independent testing finds dangerous chemicals at East Palestine family’s farm”
Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “Residents in this small town ‘left for dead’ after industrial disaster”
Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “An industrial disaster wrecked my home. Now I’m living out of a hotel”
Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “A billion-dollar company poisoned my home and destroyed my town”
Maximillian Alvarez, Steve Mellon, & Mike Balonek, The Real News Network, “Trainwreck in ‘Trump Country’: Partisan politics hasn’t helped East Palestine, OH (DOCUMENTARY)”
CreditsProduction: Maximillian AlvarezPost-Production: Maximillian Alvarez, David Hebden
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.
Ashley McCollum:
Oh God. What caused it?
East Palestine Resident:
Train derailed.
Ashley
by Maximillian Alvarez | Dec 19, 2025 | documentary, east palestine, Economy and Inequality, Politics and Movements: US, railroad, sacrifice zones, video
On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern ‘bomb train’ carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in the small town of East Palestine, Ohio. Three days later, Norfolk Southern pressured local authorities to dump and burn five tanker cars full of chemicals, blasting a mushroom cloud of toxic phosgene and hydrogen chloride into the air. Nearly three years later, residents like Jami Wallace and her family are still suffering the toxic fallout.
Additional links/info:
Jami Wallace Facebook page
Jami’s fundraiser for Chemically Impacted Communities Coalition (CICC)
Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “An industrial disaster wrecked my home. Now I’m living out of a hotel”
Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “A billion-dollar company poisoned my home and destroyed my town”
Maximillian Alvarez, Steve Mellon, & Mike Balonek, The Real News Network, “Trainwreck in ‘Trump Country’: Partisan politics hasn’t helped East Palestine, OH (DOCUMENTARY)”
Credits:
Production: Maximillian Alvarez
Post-Production: Maximillian Alvarez, David Hebden
Additional photos courtesy of Jami Wallace
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.Jami Wallace:
It’s not fair. We’re people, our lives matter. My daughter’s life matters, and that’s what everybody is telling me is that you guys are just accosted doing business. We can kill a whole community and who cares? It didn’t hit the bottom line, so we’ll do it again.
[TEXT ON-SCREEN]:
On Feb. 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern ‘bomb train’ carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in the small town of East Palestine, Ohio. Three days later, Norfolk Southern pressured local authorities to dump and burn five tanker cars full of chemicals, blasting a mushroom cloud of toxic phosgene and hydrogen chloride into the air. Nearly 3 years
by Maximillian Alvarez | Dec 18, 2025 | east palestine, Economy, Economy and Inequality, Politics and Movements: US, video
Life for Zsuzsa Gyenes has become a never-ending nightmare after a Norfolk Southern “bomb train” carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in her hometown of East Palestine, OH, on Feb. 3, 2023. “When the derailment happened, my son and I [got] very sick,” Gyenes says, “we were forced to leave our home very shortly afterwards, and we had been displaced continuously for over a year and a half.” When Norfolk Southern eventually helped Gynes locate and pay for a new home, she hoped it was a chance for a fresh start—but her troubles were only just beginning.
Additional links/info:
Zsuzsa Gyenes Facebook page and fundraiser page
Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “A billion-dollar company poisoned my home and destroyed my town”
Maximillian Alvarez, Steve Mellon, & Mike Balonek, The Real News Network, “Trainwreck in ‘Trump Country’: Partisan politics hasn’t helped East Palestine, OH (DOCUMENTARY)”
Credits:
Production: Maximillian Alvarez
Post-Production: Maximillian Alvarez, David Hebden
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.
Zsuzsa Gyenes:
When the derailment happened, my son and I were very sick the night that it had happened, and we were forced to leave our home very shortly afterwards, and we had been displaced continuously for over a year and a half. We still don’t have any help. We know that people are still sick. We’ve known people are sick. There’s still people in town wanting to get out.
Maximillian Alvarez:
So I’m back here in East Palestine, Ohio where the Norfolk Southern train derailment and chemical disaster happened in early February, 2023. The media since then has moved on. Politicians have moved on, and just recently, Norfolk Southern itself said that
by Maximillian Alvarez | Dec 17, 2025 | east palestine, Economy, Economy and Inequality, Inequality, Politics and Movements: US, video
Ashley McCullom’s quiet, small-town life “changed in an instant” on the night of Feb. 3, 2023, when a Norfolk Southern “bomb train” derailed near her home in East Palestine, OH. The derailment, followed by the disastrous decision to “vent and burn” multiple carloads of hazardous chemicals, exposed residents in East Palestine and the surrounding area to toxins that have made them sick, poisoned their homes, and changed their community forever. While Norfolk Southern, politicians, and media pundits have all moved on from the East Palestine train derailment and chemical disaster, residents like McCullom are still dealing with the toxic fallout.Additional links/info:
Maximillian Alvarez, Steve Mellon, & Mike Balonek, The Real News Network, “Trainwreck in ‘Trump Country’: Partisan politics hasn’t helped East Palestine, OH (DOCUMENTARY)”
Credits:
Production: Maximillian Alvarez
Post-Production: Maximillian Alvarez, David Hebden
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.
WKYC Channel 3:
Breaking news from Columbiana County. East Palestine is now under an urgent mandatory evacuation order after a toxic train derailment
ABC News:
State of emergency in Ohio. After a train derailment and massive fire, some of the cars were carrying hazardous chemicals.
NBC News:
Some 2000 residents, nearly half of East Palestine still under evacuation orders. Visitors told to stay away.
PBS NewsHour:
For Ashley McCullum, the fear is warranted. She lived two blocks from the derailment site.
Ashley McCullom:
When I looked out, everything looked like it was on fire. The entire entire thing looked like it was going up in smoke in flames. I’m Ashley McCollum and this is my house. It’s pretty bad inside. I had multiple chemical testing done. I don’t go in without
