'Very Disturbing': Amid Ohio Disaster, Another Norfolk Southern Train Derails in Michigan

As the small town of East Palestine, Ohio reels from a chemical-spewing train crash, another train operated by the same company—Norfolk Southern—derailed outside of Detroit, Michigan on Thursday, the latest in a string of recent wrecks that rail workers have said are a horrible and predictable consequence of the industry's profit-seeking policy decisions.

According to a local NBC affiliate, a Norfolk Southern representative said that "there were no hazardous materials spilled in the crash," which took place in Van Buren Township.

In a Facebook post, Van Buren Township authorities wrote that "the involved train had one railcar that contained liquid chlorine; however it was located away from the overturned section, and was part of the section of railcars removed first."

"There is no evidence of exposed hazardous materials," the post added. "There are also no reported injuries."

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) said in a statement that "at this time no one is aware of the release of any hazardous materials" and "the car carrying hazardous material has been put upright."

"It is being removed from the area of the other derailed cars, and EPA is dispatching a team to ensure public safety," Dingell added. "We will continue to monitor the situation very closely and remain in touch with federal, state, and local officials, and release additional information as it becomes available."

State Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-4) and state Rep. Reggie Miller (D-31) issued a joint press release calling Thursday's crash "very disturbing, especially following the recent incident in Ohio."

In the wake of the East Palestine crash, Norfolk Southern has increasingly been described as a poster child for the hazards associated with a Wall Street-backed model known as Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR), which prioritizes speed and profits over safety.

"Safety inspection times and personnel have been slashed, hindering efforts to ensure trains are safe before they leave yards or terminals. Crews are dissuaded from reporting safety issues. Workers that persist in raising red flags are often ignored," Motherboard's Aaron Gordon wrote Wednesday. "Norfolk Southern's lax safety practices have been applied to its entire network, reflecting a trend happening across the freight rail industry."