A massive fire broke out after a train derailed Friday night in northeastern Ohio near the Pennsylvania border, prompting officials to issue evacuation and shelter orders for nearby residents.
Mayor Trent Conway, during a news conference Friday night, said there were no reports of injuries after the derailment in East Palestine, about 15 miles south of Youngstown.
Conway told CNN's Amara Walker on Saturday that the train may have been carrying hazardous materials.
“As of the air quality now, even 1st is fine,” he said. The smell in the air is because of the fire, he said, but there are no concerns about air quality.
Officials issued a shelter-in-place order for the entire town of about 5,000 people, while an evacuation order was in effect about a mile from the James Street train crossing early Saturday. Conway said he did not know when those orders would be rescinded.
Conway said two evacuation stations have been opened to provide shelter for residents, and the Red Cross has been notified.
Photos from the scene show a large, thick cloud of smoke engulfing the flames above the train. Firefighters from three states, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, were on the scene responding to the blaze, according to Conway.
Conaway noted that the Environmental Protection Agency monitors air quality.
Norfolk Southern Railway said in a statement that it was aware of the derailment and was "coordinating closely" with local first responders as they mobilized their own teams.
"We will share more details as they become available," the statement said.
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