EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — This week marks six months since the catastrophic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
The disaster occurred around 8:55 p.m. on Feb. 3, when about 40 Norfolk Southern cars derailed. Some of those cars caught fire and several carrying toxic materials were vented and burned days later.
The accident put the community front and center in discussions surrounding rail safety. It also raised concerns about the environmental and health impacts of exposure to these dangerous chemicals, which included vinyl chloride.
Misti Allison lives in East Palestine, and she’s bringing up her family in the small town while also seeking to bring these issues to the national stage.
Her son, Blake, likes to help his mom out in the kitchen, like making toast for his little sister, Audrey. But ,like many kids, he also enjoys playing sports.
"We didn't do that good,” he said. “Well, I was the best player on the team."
The family moved to East Palestine about four years ago. Allison said they decided to move here to raise their children in her husband’s small hometown. But now, their safe haven is clouded with a fog of uncertainty.
"To this day I feel like we are living in some type of apocalyptic movie,” she said.
The derailment occurred just a little more than a mile away from their home.
"And you can see like that huge mushroom cloud of smoke and just fire, and that is when I knew this was not just a car getting hit by a train,” she said. “There was something seriously wrong."
In the days and weeks that followed, Allison – a self-described introvert – fell into the role of advocate.
"How can you say 'no' to something like that, when somebody wants you to speak up for all these people that are suffering?” she said.
She even testified in Congress to share her community’s concerns.
“When authorities conducted a controlled burn, it was like a bomb went off, a bomb containing vinyl chloride, which releases dangerous chemicals,” she said.
The chemical exposure is a continuing concern for the people of East Palestine.
This is something Allison first shared with Spectrum News in April.
“I would say the sentiment from the community is still people are just, you know, really scared and just still questioning everything,” she said at the time.
Now, months later, many of those questions remain.
“There are people that have symptoms,” she said. “Now, is it correlation or is it causation? I'm not sure. But there are still a lot of people sick, and so it is worrisome."
She said what is also troubling is the lack of information from Norfolk Southern about a home-value protection program.
In a letter to senators, the company’s CEO, Alan Shaw, said a fund would be established to reimburse eligible homeowners who live near the derailment site who sell their homes for less than what the property was worth before the accident.
"That is very nerve wracking and something that’s very top-of-mind to residents,” Allison said.
In the meantime, Allison said her family is being extra cautious.
"Just in the event we are being exposed to something that we're still not sure about completely, just trying to have less exposure,” she said.
They’re even using technology like air purifiers at home to help provide some peace of mind.
"Everybody is looking at East Palestine because we never thought that it could happen here, but sadly this could happen anywhere in the United States,” she said.
Blake said the derailment doesn’t cross his mind much these days.
“We really don't have anything to worry about,” he said. “Well, at least here"
But he’ll never forget the feeling of fear that February night.
"I was scared,” he said. “I asked if I was gonna die and stuff, but I'm fine."
He’s staying strong for his mom and sister while they move through the unknown aftermath of the tragedy together.