Is Hinsdale Ready For East Palestine-Like Incident?

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale's leader said this week the village has been receiving questions from residents about whether it is prepared for a train derailment like the one in East Palestine, Ohio.

The Feb. 3 derailment in Ohio is blamed for the release of dangerous pollutants.

In Hinsdale, the BNSF railroad goes through the center of town.

At a Village Board meeting, Village President Tom Cauley said he wanted to allay the concerns of residents.

"While this issue is now of interest to residents, rest assured that a potential derailment has always been at the forefront of the minds of the village's emergency responders," Cauley said.

With the help of DuPage County, he said, the village has taken part in an exercise that simulated a hazardous materials spill involving a railroad.

He said the fire department has trained all its members about such events. They also have been training on specific software designed to identify evacuation zones during such incidents, he said.

Additionally, Cauley said the village belongs to a statewide mutual aid system. That means that specially trained emergency responders and resources would come from around Illinois during a hazardous materials event.

"The village routinely works with BNSF to prepare for these types of events, and the fire department routinely trains to respond to a hazardous materials incident, whether it be in the form of a train derailment or in other areas of the village," Cauley said.