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How the Ohio train derailment has impacted one East Palestine family

Ruth and Patrick Souders stand in the front yard of their home in East Palestine where they can see the spot a Norfolk Southern train derailed and caught fire on Feb. 3.
Oliver Morrison
/
90.5 WESA
Ruth and Patrick Souders stand in the front yard of their home in East Palestine where they can see the spot a Norfolk Southern train derailed and caught fire on Feb. 3.

For the past six weeks the nation's attention has turned to East Palestine, Ohio, after a Norfolk Southern train derailed there, releasing toxic chemicals. And while the company continues to clean spilled chemicals — and as law makers debate how to respond — community member lives have been upended. Patrick and Ruth Souders are one such couple. They bought their dream home there, six years ago.

WESA's Oliver Morrison spoke to them about all the ways the derailment continues to disrupt their lives, from the moment they saw the flames out their front window.

Oliver Morrison is a general assignment reporter at WESA. He previously covered education, environment and health for PublicSource in Pittsburgh and, before that, breaking news and weekend features for the Wichita Eagle in Kansas.