BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
MAHER, W.Va. — Railroad derailments with potentially deadly consequences have been in the national news the past few weeks, like the horrendous train wreck and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio. Some of those tracks belong to Norfolk Southern, which runs through Mingo County and has residents worried about a possible disaster along U.S. 52 between Maher and Millers Creek, about 10 miles north of Williamson.
An embankment slide (see photos) is just inches from the rails right above U.S. 52. The Tug River is just on the other side of the highway, a few yards from the slide and the tracks.
Mingo County resident Megan Varney-Chambers fears any rail cars derailing at this location would block the road and possibly hit vehicles. She believes the cargo, including the contents of tanker cars, could flow right into the river and contaminate the water supply for towns downriver, such as the Mingo County PSD water plant at Naugatuck, Kermit, Martin County and Fort Gay, where the Tug River meets the Levisa Fork to form the Big Sandy.
“That’s scary,” Varney-Chambers said. “I’m very concerned about the rail slip. I’m concerned for my neighbors here in West Virginia and across the river. We never know what’s being transported in these tanker cars. It could be anything from crude oil to toxic chemicals, which should concern everyone downstream from this site.
“Water intake systems close to this site supply water for hundreds of families. Should the water become polluted or even toxic, what are we to do? Where do we turn for help, then? Will anyone even step up to help us?”
Varney-Chambers lives along the Tug River and has two young children.
“They are my main priority in life – their well-being and safety,” she said. “My concern is for other children as well. This area will be home to future generations. We don’t need to take the chance of taking that from them and having the water polluted for years.”
For Varney-Chambers, the East Palestine, Ohio, catastrophe is a wake-up call to the potential for a toxic and deadly train derailment that the U.S. 52 embankment slippage presents.
The slide occurred “a couple of months ago,” according to Varney-Chambers, and there has been no evidence of anyone attempting to restructure or reinforce the ground to prevent further slippage.
“I’ve tried bringing awareness to others by sharing pictures and keeping dates, but I can only do so much,” said Varney-Chambers. “Some turn a blind eye, I guess thinking nothing bad could ever happen here, but I’ve talked with a couple of people that are also very concerned that this could turn out terribly bad if the railroad doesn’t step in and do something. I’m not alone when it comes to being worried.”
(The Mountain Citizen contacted the Norfolk Southern media relations department but received no comment on the slide. NS personnel acknowledged the first photo the newspaper emailed them and asked for the location. This is a developing story. The newspaper will update as information becomes available.)
