Ohio Guv Warns Chemical Plume Is Heading for West Virginia Town ‘Sometime Tomorrow’
ON THE MOVE
A chemical plume of butyl acrylate that was released during a controlled explosion of a derailed, flaming train in Ohio is heading for another state. GOP Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said the plume, from the Feb. 3 crash in East Palestine, is making its way to Huntington, West Virginia, where it will arrive “sometime tomorrow.” The plume has moved about 225 miles away from the wreck and is now located in Gallipolis, Ohio, but it’s expected to shift toward Huntington, about 40 miles south of there. The chemical is a clear, colorless liquid that smells fruity and is used to make sealants, paints, coatings and more, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. There are zero drinking water advisories in the Huntington area so far, according to West Virginia American Water, and DeWine said butyl acrylate has been found in the Ohio River but at safe levels. He added that the concerning toxic chemical vinyl chloride has not been detected in the Ohio River.