Following the fiery derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals along the Ohio-Pennsylvania line, renowned 9/11 attorney Michael Barasch -- whose law firm represents over 25,000 members of the 9/11 community -- urged nearby residents to "stay away and don't believe the EPA." After toxic materials were released into the air, surface soils and water, Barasch told Breitbart News that news of the incident, followed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) insisting the "air is safe," sent "shivers" down his spine, given that numerous 9/11 victims still suffer from post-9/11 exposure to harmful toxins.
Comparing the EPA's precautionary tactics after the 2001 terror attacks to their recent behavior, Barasch -- a longtime legal advocate -- added that "21 years ago, the government at least had a reason: they wanted to reopen Wall Street." Accusing officials of telling people the air is safe when they "don't really know one way or another," he suggested they "clear out the area -- a 20 mile radius -- for two to four weeks and consider it a toxic area until independent scientists can verify that it's really safe. Otherwise we're going to see in another twenty years exactly what I'm seeing now -- with people developing illnesses and dying from post-9/11 toxic air -- only on a lower scale."
The prominent attorney also emphasized he was unable to "believe the EPA," accusing them of treating the public "like children." He argued that government and railroad officials should "get together and create something" for the victims "and get rid of all these lawyers just swooping in on these poor residents who are no doubt breathing really bad stuff."
Days after the Ohio officials set off a five-car "controlled release" of cars holding vinyl chloride -- a gas classified as a known carcinogen to humans -- Ohio Senator JD Vance visited East Palestine, where he discovered what appeared to be chemicals in the water of a creek and requested EPA administrator Michael Regan to drink the tap water if the EPA deems the village's water safe for residents' consumption.
On Saturday, Ohio Mayor Trent Conaway said that he's glad FEMA has finally sent in federal resources, but "it's a little late." He also called for testing for at least the next decade and for the Department of Health and Human Services to start studies.
Former President Donald Trump is slated to travel to East Palestine this week to tour the damage and clean-up efforts.
