Residents in the vicinity of an Ohio train derailment report dead fish and chickens, despite authorities’ assurances that it is safe to return.
They are concerned that their animals and water sources have been exposed to hazardous chemicals.
Woman finds all her chickens dead near Ohio train derailment
Amanda Breshears who lives 10 miles from East Palestine, found all her chickens dead on Tuesday.
She was going to feed her five hens and a rooster in the morning. But she discovered them all lifeless with no sign of a predator nearby.
“I’m beyond upset and quite panicked, ’cause they may be just chickens, but they’re family,” she said.
The Ohio resident reported that her chickens were alive the previous day, she told WKBN-TV.
Breshears claimed the smell following the detonation of the train carrying chemicals that derailed in East Palestine was the cause of her birds’ sudden death.
“My video camera footage shows my chickens were perfectly fine before they started this burn, and as soon as they started the burn, my chickens slowed down and they died,” she said.
“If it can do this to chickens in a night, imagine what it will do to us in 20 years,” Breshears added.
⚠️ JUST IN: Woman finds all her chickens dead 10 miles from East Palestine, Ohio.
Following the major deadly release of toxins the "chickens slowed down & died".
"If it can do this to chickens in a night, imagine what it will do to us in 20 years". #OhioChernobyl pic.twitter.com/KSMyimYcgS
— Upward News (@UpwardNewsHQ) February 14, 2023
Ohio Department of Agriculture says the risk to livestock remains low
“ODA has not received any official reports regarding the wellness of animals related to the incident,” they stated.
Despite that, the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation informed members to get the water supply tested urgently.
“The biggest concern is the water table at this point, to see what kind of exposure there has been to these chemicals,” said the bureau’s organizing director, Nick Kennedy.
“There’s some level of frustration out there among farmers,” Kennedy added. “They just want answers. Their livelihoods might be at stake here.”
As of Wednesday, the chemical spill caused by the derailment had killed an estimated 3,500 small fish across 712 miles of streams, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Some residents living near the derailment site are concerned that they and their animals will be exposed to toxins through the air, water, and soil.
