Ohio sued rail operator Norfolk Southern Corp. over what the state described as the “entirely avoidable” train derailment that spilled toxic chemicals last month in the town of East Palestine.
The suit seeks unspecified damages over the Feb. 3 derailment, which released more than 1 million gallons of hazardous materials, polluted rivers and streams, and upended the lives of residents and businesses owners.
The accident was “the direct result of Norfolk Southern’s practice of putting its own profits above the health, safety, and welfare of the communities in which Norfolk Southern operates,” Attorney General Dave Yost said in a suit filed Tuesday in federal court in Youngstown, Ohio.
