EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Hundreds of East Palestine residents attended a town hall meeting Wednesday night, designed to provide answers

What You Need To Know

  • 13 days after a train derailed in East Palestine, the village held a town hall meeting to address residents concerns 

  • Hundreds of residents showed up concerned about things like water and air quality

  • Initially the meeting was set up similar to a job fair, until Mayor Trent Conway stepped in and ordered everyone to the bleachers

  • One by one residents took the microphone to ask their questions

The informational session was designed to provide answers to concerned residents in East Palestine. One by one, residents filed in with their concerns.

"My dog could not breathe at all. I had to remove him for ten days,” said one resident. “Now even today he's coughing, the water is not good, you run the water through the spigot and the next day it's got a white film on the top of it. It's just it's not good.”

Many residents showed up to get the answers to questions that have been growing since a train derailment on Feb. 3. 

“I want to know down the road when these teenagers, if they have any complications, where do I go, what do I do,” said another worried resident. 

Initially, the meeting was set up like a job fair when residents arrived until Mayor Trent Conaway arrived and ordered everyone to file into the bleachers.

“We hope to get you answers," he said. "That’s our main message."

Residents took turns at the microphone. However, some feel it’s time to move beyond the question-and-answer period.

“I'm tired of this stuff, all this peaceful protesting and people waiting in line," said one resident. "It's like, just get in there. And tell them what we’re going to do."

The discussion was heated at times, and many residents wanted to hear from Norfolk Southern.

The company released a statement stating that they would not be attending “due to threats and safety concerns."