ALL RIGHT. SO YOU’VE BEEN LISTENING IN THERE TO THE LITTLE MIAMI FIRE CHIEF AS WELL AS HAMILTON COUNTY’S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY DIRECTOR THERE, OR THEIR SPOKESPERSON GIVING US A FULL UPDATE. AND THIS IS SOME ENCOURAGING NEWS. THEY’RE SAYING THAT NOW THE LEAK IS AT LEAST STOPPED. NOT CLEAR IF THE VALVES TURNED OFF, BUT IT’S NO LONGER LEAKING. AND ALSO THEY WERE ABLE TO DETACH THAT ONE CAR THAT HAD THE LEAK FOR MORE THAN 20 OTHERS THAT SOME OF THEM ALSO CARRYING STYRENE. I WAS GOING TO SAY A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EMAILING AND ASKING THAT QUESTION, SO I’M GLAD WE GOT THAT ANSWERED TONIGHT. AS FAR AS THE SITUATION WITH THE ROAD CLOSURES AROUND THERE, THEY SAY THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG TIME, NOT SOMETHING THAT’S GOING TO CLEAR UP IN THE MORNING. SCHOOL ALREADY CANCELED THERE, AND THE THREE RIVERS DISTRICT TOMORROW. WE’LL SEE HOW LONG THAT GOES. LET’S GET BACK OUT TO CHRIS JACOBS. HE’S OUT THERE WITH THAT. NEWS CONFERENCE WAS HELD AS WE BEGIN OUR TEAM COVERAGE, CHRIS, TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU HEARD AT THE TOP OF THE NEWS CONFERENCE AND KIND OF FOR PEOPLE JUST JOINING US, FILL US BACK IN ON ON SOME OF THE THINGS YOU HEARD. YEAH. MIKE. WELL, A LITTLE NUR AN UPDATE TO THIS PRESS CONFERENCE WAS THERE WAS ACTUALLY A REPRESENTATIVE WITH THE RAILROAD COMPANY HERE. YOU HEARD FROM HIM A LITTLE WHILE AGO. SO THAT WAS THE NEW FACE TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE THIS EVENING. WE ARE TOLD THAT THEY HAVE REMOVED THE REMAINING CARS FROM THIS ONE TRAIN CAR THAT DID HAVE THIS LEAK. WE TOLD YOU A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THIS EVENING THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE MISSION GOING FORWARD. IT WAS GOING TO BE THE FIRST STEP GOING INTO CLEANUP. SO THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY REMOVED THESE TRAIN CARS AROUND THIS ONE THAT DID HAVE THAT LEAK. SO THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT RIGHT NOW THEY WANT THE COMMUNITY TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. THEY REITERATED THAT POINT A COUPLE OF TIMES. AND AS FOR THAT THREAT OF EXPLOSION, WE DID WANT TO ASK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT. WE’RE TOLD RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO THREAT FOR THIS EXPLOSION. EARLIER, THEY SAID THAT THERE’S NO IT HASN’T GOTTEN BETTER. IT HASN’T GOTTEN WORSE. AND RIGHT NOW THAT SEEMS TO BE THE STATUS QUO. ALSO, THEY’RE WORKING ON AIR QUALITY MONITORING TESTS. THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE AN UPDATE FOR US, BUT THAT WON’T BE UNTIL THE MORNING. THEY SAY THERE ARE A LOT OF THEIR MEASURING TOOLS ARE GOING TO BE RELYING ON THAT. AND AT THE MOMENT, ALSO THIS STYRENE GAS THAT WAS LEAKING THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING, THAT LEAK IS ACTUALLY STOPPED. WE WERE TOLD A COUPLE OF EMPLOYEES WITH THE RAILROAD COMPANY WERE ACTUALLY ON THE TRAIN AT THE TIME. THEY WERE CABBED HOME. WE WERE TOLD THEY WERE IN GOOD SPIRITS. MAYBE SUFFERING A LITTLE IRRITATION FROM THIS GAS, BUT THEY SAID OVERALL THEY SEEM TO BE FINE. AGAIN, THE OTHER RAIL CARS WE WERE ACTUALLY TOLD ALSO HAD STYRENE GAS IN THEM, BUT AGAIN, ONLY THE ONE RAIL CAR HAD ANY SORT OF LEAK COMING FROM IT. SO THEY WERE MENTIONING HOW FORTUNATE THEY WERE. THERE WERE THERE, AND THEY DID REITERATE THE ROAD CLOSURES THAT WERE GOING TO BE IMPACTING U.S. 50, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHER MAJOR ROADWAYS HERE. AND THEY SAID THEY STILL DON’T KNOW WHEN THAT’S GOING TO OPEN UP, WHEN THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. SO A LOT OF INFORMATION STILL NEEDING TO BE ANSWERED AS FAR AS THE SHELTER IN PLACE AND EVACUATION ORDERS. BUT THE WHITEWATER TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY CENTER IS GOING TO BE OPEN FOR ANYBODY WHO DOES NEED IT. REPORTING LIVE IN WHITEWATER TOWNSHIP, CHRIS JACOBS, WLWT NEWS FIVE. CHRIS, THANKS SO MUCH. AND AGAIN, THE IMPORTANT THING, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, NOBODY WAS HURT. NOBODY ON THE TRAIN WAS HURT. AND THEY DON’T BELIEVE THAT ANYBODY WAS EXPOSED TO THIS CHEMICAL. ONCE THEY TEST THE AIR. AND IT’S GOOD TO GO, THEN FINALLY THEY’LL LET PEOPLE BACK IN. BUT AS PEOPLE IN WHITEWATER TOWNSHIP LEAVE THEIR HOMES TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, MANY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT JUST HOW LONG THAT’S GOING TO BE. AND ALSO THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF COMING BACK. WLWT NEWS FIVE’S RACHEL KIRCHHEIMER SPENT THE NIGHT OUT THERE TALKING WITH CONCERNED NEIGHBORS. SHE JOINS US LIVE WITH THAT ASPECT OF THE STORY. HI THERE, RACHEL. HEY, MIKE. AND CHARI AND WE’RE ABOUT A QUARTER TO A HALF A MILE AWAY FROM WHERE THIS TRAIN CAR WAS LEAKING. THAT VERY DANGEROUS CHEMICAL, STYRENE. AND CREWS HAVE BEEN HERE ALONG U.S. 50, WHERE WE ARE STANDING EVER SINCE ABOUT 3:00, WHEN ALL OF THIS STARTED TO UNFOLD. THEY WERE TESTING THE AIR QUALITY TO SEE IF THIS AREA JUST OUTSIDE THE RADIUS IS SAFE. I WANT YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR SCREEN. THIS IS DRONE FOOTAGE OF THE TRAIN CAR FROM EARLIER TODAY. YOU CAN SEE CREWS SPRAYING A STEADY STREAM OF WATER ON IT TO COOL THAT CAR DOWN AND PREVENT IT FROM OVERHEATING. THIS WAS ALL TAKING PLACE RIGHT NEAR THREE RIVERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL. WE WERE AT THE SCHOOLS EARLIER TODAY WHEN THEY WERE BEING EVACUATED, AND WE SPOKE WITH A FATHER WHO WAS PICKING UP HIS TWO KIDS, AND IT HAS BEEN A SCARY SITUATION FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO WERE RUSHING TO THE SCHOOL TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN HOME, AND ALSO FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE AREA OF STATE ROUTE ONE, 28 AND U.S. 50 NEAR THE GREAT MIAMI RIVER, WE SPOKE WITH A MAN WHO LIVES ABOUT TWO MILES FROM THE CHEMICAL LEAK, AND HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC HAPPENING OVERNIGHT. TAKE A LISTEN TO WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. WE’RE WORRIED IF THERE’S AN EXPLOSION OVERNIGHT. MORE THAN ANYTHING, WE PROBABLY WON’T EXPERIENCE PHYSICAL DAMAGE SINCE WE’RE NOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO REALLY EXPERIENCE PHYSICAL DAMAGE. BUT WHAT IS GOING TO BE IN THE AIR? AND IF IT HAPPENS OVERNIGHT, ARE WE GOING TO KNOW ABOUT IT? AND AS I WAS READING COMMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THIS IS A SIMILAR FEELING A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE WHO LIVE JUST OUTSIDE THE RADIUS. WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMETHING OCCURS OVERNIGHT? WILL THEY BE NOTIFIED? AND LIKE WE MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW, THREE RIVERS SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BE CLOSED TOMORROW OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION. WE’RE LIV

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UPDATES: Chemical leak from train car in Whitewater Twp. stops; evacuations remain

A dangerous chemical leak in Whitewater Township has prompted an evacuation order for people in the area, according to Hamilton County emergency management and fire officials. The leak is happening near State Route 128 and U.S. 50, near the Great Miami River in western Hamilton County. Hamilton County EMA states that per Whitewater Fire officials, a "dangerous chemical leak" occurred near State Route 128 and U.S. 50. In an update late Tuesday night, officials said the car that was leaking has been separated from the other cars on the train as crews continue to work to keep the train cool. The train was not currently leaking at 11 p.m.Around 11 p.m. Tuesday, crews on scene began evaluating the train car that was leaking, working to determine the next steps.EMA officials say the leak is not from a train derailment but a train car that has a valve open, releasing styrene gas. Here's what we know.Mike Siefke, Chief of the Little Miami Joint Fire & Rescue District, said crews are working to contain the vapor by cooling down the affected areas. He said they have identified that there is issue where it's releasing out of pressure relief valve. The fire department has issued an evacuation for those within a half-mile radius of the railyard by U.S. 50 and State Route 128 and a shelter in place for those within a three-quarter mile radius until further notice. Officials said Hamilton County EMA will be sending alerts to residents within a two-mile radius of the chemical leak.At this time, Siefke said there have been no reports of any injuries from the chemical leak. As of Tuesday night, officials said nobody has reported being exposed to the chemical. Siefke said the threat for an explosion at the site of the leak is not imminent. On Tuesday night, officials said there is not a threat for an explosion.Officials said in an update Tuesday night that crews are continuing to set up air monitoring services that will alert officials how the air quality is.The United States Environmental Protection Agency has also been called in to help with the process, Siefke said.Siefke said health concerns with the chemical are that it can cause headaches, nausea and respiratory issues which is why they gave evacuation and shelter in place orders. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Styrene is a colorless, flammable liquid, which has a sweet odor. If you come in contact with styrene, wash your skin with soap and water and remove and wash clothing, flush eyes with large amounts of water for 15 minutes and remove contacts. If inhaled, rinse your mouth and seek medical attention. Officials stressed the need for people to stay indoors and that it will be a "long event." Central Road of Indiana released a statement regarding the incident"At approximately 1 p.m. this afternoon, Central Railroad of Indiana (CIND) was notified of a railcar in the vicinity of Cleves, Ohio, venting styrene. The local fire department is onsite, and environmental response agencies have been mobilized. We are fully cooperating with first responders, who will determine any evacuation orders. We ask all those in the area to follow first responder orders and to stay clear of the scene so that we can contain the incident as safely, quickly and effectively as possible. We will provide periodic updates as we learn more."The railcar is not owned by Central Road of Indiana but is one of their tracks, the company said Tuesday.All surrounding roads are shut down, including U.S. 50 from Kilby Road to Cooper Avenue. All stores in the area have been closed, including Kroger. The Whitewater Township community center on Dry Fork Road is open for people who need shelter. Three Rivers School District, which is nearby, was evacuated due to the chemical leak on Tuesday afternoon. In an update Tuesday night, officials said classes within the district will be canceled Wednesday due to ongoing impacts from the leak.A decision on after-school activities scheduled for Wednesday will be made by 1 p.m. on Wednesday.Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown released a statement on the chemical leak on Tuesday night, saying he is continuing to keep an eye on the situation."I am monitoring the situation involving the train car chemical leak in Whitewater Township and urge residents to follow the guidance provided by the Hamilton County Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency. I thank the local emergency responders for their quick action," the statement read.Ohio Sen. JD Vance also released a statement on the chemical leak in Whitewater Township, saying "My team and I are closely tracking a potentially hazardous chemical leak coming from a railcar near Cleves, Ohio."Vance went on to say that local authorities are working hard to keep the community safe.

A dangerous chemical leak in Whitewater Township has prompted an evacuation order for people in the area, according to Hamilton County emergency management and fire officials.

The leak is happening near State Route 128 and U.S. 50, near the Great Miami River in western Hamilton County.

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Hamilton County EMA states that per Whitewater Fire officials, a "dangerous chemical leak" occurred near State Route 128 and U.S. 50.

In an update late Tuesday night, officials said the car that was leaking has been separated from the other cars on the train as crews continue to work to keep the train cool. The train was not currently leaking at 11 p.m.

Around 11 p.m. Tuesday, crews on scene began evaluating the train car that was leaking, working to determine the next steps.

EMA officials say the leak is not from a train derailment but a train car that has a valve open, releasing styrene gas. Here's what we know.

Mike Siefke, Chief of the Little Miami Joint Fire & Rescue District, said crews are working to contain the vapor by cooling down the affected areas. He said they have identified that there is issue where it's releasing out of pressure relief valve.

The fire department has issued an evacuation for those within a half-mile radius of the railyard by U.S. 50 and State Route 128 and a shelter in place for those within a three-quarter mile radius until further notice. Officials said Hamilton County EMA will be sending alerts to residents within a two-mile radius of the chemical leak.

At this time, Siefke said there have been no reports of any injuries from the chemical leak. As of Tuesday night, officials said nobody has reported being exposed to the chemical.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Siefke said the threat for an explosion at the site of the leak is not imminent. On Tuesday night, officials said there is not a threat for an explosion.

Officials said in an update Tuesday night that crews are continuing to set up air monitoring services that will alert officials how the air quality is.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has also been called in to help with the process, Siefke said.

Siefke said health concerns with the chemical are that it can cause headaches, nausea and respiratory issues which is why they gave evacuation and shelter in place orders.

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Styrene is a colorless, flammable liquid, which has a sweet odor. If you come in contact with styrene, wash your skin with soap and water and remove and wash clothing, flush eyes with large amounts of water for 15 minutes and remove contacts. If inhaled, rinse your mouth and seek medical attention.

Officials stressed the need for people to stay indoors and that it will be a "long event."

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Central Road of Indiana released a statement regarding the incident

"At approximately 1 p.m. this afternoon, Central Railroad of Indiana (CIND) was notified of a railcar in the vicinity of Cleves, Ohio, venting styrene. The local fire department is onsite, and environmental response agencies have been mobilized. We are fully cooperating with first responders, who will determine any evacuation orders. We ask all those in the area to follow first responder orders and to stay clear of the scene so that we can contain the incident as safely, quickly and effectively as possible. We will provide periodic updates as we learn more."

The railcar is not owned by Central Road of Indiana but is one of their tracks, the company said Tuesday.

All surrounding roads are shut down, including U.S. 50 from Kilby Road to Cooper Avenue. All stores in the area have been closed, including Kroger.

The Whitewater Township community center on Dry Fork Road is open for people who need shelter.

Three Rivers School District, which is nearby, was evacuated due to the chemical leak on Tuesday afternoon. In an update Tuesday night, officials said classes within the district will be canceled Wednesday due to ongoing impacts from the leak.

A decision on after-school activities scheduled for Wednesday will be made by 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown released a statement on the chemical leak on Tuesday night, saying he is continuing to keep an eye on the situation.

"I am monitoring the situation involving the train car chemical leak in Whitewater Township and urge residents to follow the guidance provided by the Hamilton County Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency. I thank the local emergency responders for their quick action," the statement read.

Ohio Sen. JD Vance also released a statement on the chemical leak in Whitewater Township, saying "My team and I are closely tracking a potentially hazardous chemical leak coming from a railcar near Cleves, Ohio."

Vance went on to say that local authorities are working hard to keep the community safe.