HAMILTON COUNTY, Ohio — Officials lifted the evacuation order on Wednesday in Hamilton County, which were put in place after officials discovered a dangerous chemical leak from a railcar Tuesday afternoon in Whitewater Township.

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Hamilton County EMA said residents are now permitted to return home, but officials urged them to use caution. 

Authorities said a pressure release valve on a railcar was leaking styrene, a toxic and flammable chemical that is used to make plastic and rubber. It can cause headaches, nausea and respiratory issues, and long-term exposure can lead to more serious health problems, including organ damage.

It's not known what caused the leak, but authorities said the railcar has been separated from the rest of the train.

Hamilton County Emergency Management advised anyone on Tuesday and into Wednesday within a half-mile of US-50 and OH-128 in any direction to evacuate immediately. Residents who were outside of the evacuation were told to stay inside and keep the windows closed.

Officials also advised anyone near State Route 128 to close and seal off doors and windows, close fireplace dampers and turn off heat.

The leak prompted Three Rivers Local School District to evacuate its buildings Tuesday, and the district ended up staying closed on Wednesday. 

Multiple hazmat teams, along with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Railroad Administration, were at the scene, the White House said. President Joe Biden had also been briefed on the situation.

Tom Ciuba, a spokesperson for Central Railroad of Indiana, said they were notified Tuesday afternoon about a railcar near Cleves that was venting styrene. He said firefighters were at the site and environmental response agencies were mobilized.  

During a press conference Wednesday morning, John Kiefer with the Central Railroad of Indiana said all railroad employees are safe.

There were 12 agencies on the scene, including a specialty hazmat team, when the leak was identified, officials said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.