(NewsNation) — East Palestine, Ohio, resident Heidi Paparella and her daughter are experiencing “new symptoms by the day” following the Feb. 3 train derailment.
Paparella’s daughter has been hospitalized and diagnosed with irritated lungs due to chemical exposure. Other symptoms include rashes, severe headaches and breathing issues.
Paparella told NewsNation host Leland Vittert that what her community needs most right now are “actual medical experts.”
Members of the National Transportation Safety Board called this month’s derailment “100% preventable,” and will host a rare field hearing to investigate the incident and the response.
“We call things accidents,” said Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, at a news conference Thursday. “There is no accident. Every single event that we investigate is preventable.”
The announcement coincided with a preliminary report explaining a wheel bearing sounded a safety alarm shortly before the train derailed in East Palestine.
Norfolk Southern, the company whose train derailed, issued a statement Thursday emphasizing the crew responded appropriately to the alarm.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Norfolk Southern is now inspecting all of the nearly 1,000 wayside heat detectors on its system — on top of the regular inspection of the detectors every 30 days,” the statement read. “We and the rail industry need to learn as much as we can from this event.”
Norfolk Southern used to be a leader in railroad safety, according to Jim Hall, the former NTSB chairman. However, the company got “so involved in profits and buybacks that benefit only the executives.”
Former President Donald Trump announced plans to meet with residents and local leaders as they deal with the aftermath of the derailment.
Trump also called out the Biden administration for not taking action at the federal level sooner.
“Somehow we have forgotten in this country, we have a responsibility to each other … not just blaming each other,” Hall said.