EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Business owners are beginning to open up again after being closed for days due to a train derailment in East Palestine.

What You Need To Know

  • On Friday, Feb. 3, many businesses in East Palestine closed after an evacuation order was put in place 

  • Officials conducted a controlled burn of the chemicals that were left in the rail cars

  • Jonathan Shofstahl is a co-owner of Cardinal Welding, directly across from the derailment scene 

  • Shofstahl placed a security camera on his roof so he could live-feed the scene from a safe distance 

Jonathan Shofstahl is a co-owner of Cardinal Welding. His shop is directly across from where the derailment happened.

He said after the derailment, all he can do was try to put the pieces together. 

“Pretty much, just trying to figure out what’s going on, see if we can get back to work,” Shofstahl said. “Is there going to be a building to go back to work to? I mean, after the explosion, you know, and not hearing any news, it’s like….”

Schofstahl said he has a business to run and with customers waiting, there’s no time to waste.

“What am I going to tell my customers?” he said. “I can’t do anything about it. I can’t provide them their service.”

Residents of East Palestine were told Feb. 8 they can return to their homes but some of Shofstahnls employees are skeptical.

“Right now, I got three that are a little leery of coming to work,” he said. “They just they don’t feel comfortable. They’re concerned about the air quality.”

Air quality remained a big concern for many residents. 

Shortly after the derailment, Shofstahl had an idea.

“I came down the following morning and I really don’t know how to explain it. It was just like, ‘Wow,’” he said. “That’s when I put that camera up on the roof. I was here for, like, two hours, and I’m like, ‘It’s bad. I’m going home.’”

After he placed a security camera on the roof of his building, he posted clips on Facebook and started watching the live feed.

“If something happens, is there going to be a shop to go back to?” he said. “It’s pay week. Can I pay my guys? Some of them live paycheck to paycheck. And it’s like they’re wondering, ‘are we getting paid this week?’”

Other business owners like Shofstahl might continue to face similar questions despite getting the all-clear to return.