Norfolk Southern alone should pay a $600 million settlement in the fiery 2023 Ohio derailment disaster, ju judge rules
The company that owned the railcars that caused the devastating East Palestinian train derailment in 2023 will not need to help pay the $600 million settlement Norfolk Southern I agreed to the residents.
Ohio judges decided that GATX is not liable for the settlement if it cannot withstand a railcar carrying plastic pellets on February 3, 2023. GATX has been maintained Norfolk Southern was run and inspected The train and all cars were responsible for delivering cargo safely.
“GATX is pleased with the outcome of the trial, which we have confirmed for a while. Norfolk Southern alone is responsible for the derailment of East Palestine and the damages that result,” the company said in a statement.
Norfolk Southern called the verdict a disappointment, but said it would not affect the railroad’s commitment to everyone affected by the derailment.
“For over two years, Norfolk Southern has paid fees related to the derailment, recognizing and acting on our own responsibility for the accident. Our beliefs have always been that GATX should share and explain that responsibility,” the railway said in a statement.
After the train derailed in East Palestine, the assortment of chemicals spills and set fire to light. Three days later, the officialI opened five tank carsFearing that those cars would explode, they were filled with polyvinyl chloride and produced huge black smoke smoke spreading across the area and forcing evacuation.
Norfolk SouthernI lost a similar lawsuitLast year, when they tried to force GATX and oxyvinyl, which made vinyl chloride, they helped pay for post-derailment cleanup, which costs more than $1 billion on the Atlanta-based railroad. It was madeSimilar argumentsAt this trial.
These cases have no effect on how much money residents and East Palestinian villages will receive from the rail settlement. This case only affects which company writes the check.
Last week, Oxyvinyl agreed tosettlementNorfolk filed a lawsuit in the South in the South in this case regarding a class action settlement after a railroad lawyer raised questions about inconsistent information the chemical company provided about whether it was necessary for the vent-and-burn operation to release polyvinyl chloride. Details of the settlement have not been made public.
The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed in its investigation that there was a vent-and-burn operation.No needThe tank trucks are beginning to get cooler, and the trains areI couldn’t hear itShare your opinions with the advice of oxyvinyl experts or with officials who made the decision.
The railway said the GATX should do more to care for the railcars. In particular, the railroad car was surrounded by floods that could damage its bearings.
However, GATX said it complies with all relevant regulations for caring for railroad vehicles. The company said that even if the car was damaged six years ago by parking in the middle of a flood at Hurricane Harvey, the railroad should have spotted the problem, repaired it, and sent a bill to Gut for repairs.
National Traffic Safety CommissionI said there was a crashOverheating on GATX railcars fails. Railway sensors found bearings began to heat up in the miles before derailment, but they reached critical temperature until just before derailment and did not cause an alarm. This left the crew a little time to stop the train.
This story was originally introduced Fortune.com