EAST PALESTINE — The National Transportation Safety Board has released results from their testing of pressure relief devices from the five cars holding vinyl chloride during the East Palestine derailment.
Investigators tested pressure relief devices, which release material when under pressure and help to prevent “catastrophic tank failure,” according to NTSB.
NTSB said they found “anomalies” with the function of some pressure relief devices, which may have caused them to be less effective. They noted further testing will be required to see the true impact it could have had.
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One of the installed devices also was coated with aluminum, which NTSB said is not compatible with vinyl chloride, which was being held in the tank.
There was no evidence that melted aluminum entered the tank, according to the report.
Vinyl chloride is a highly volatile colorless gas produced for commercial uses.
These results come a day before the Senate will hold a hearing on how to improve rail safety in response to the East Palestine derailment.
Those in attendance at the meeting will include, Senator Sherrod Brown, Senator J.D Vance, Gov. Mike DeWine as well as Norflk Southern’s Chief Executive Officer Alan Shaw.
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