Disaster scenario from Netflix film becomes bitter reality on location

What was still fiction in a film by the streaming provider Netflix has now become reality: in early February, a train with 50 wagons derailed in the US state of Ohio near the Pennsylvania border, ten of which were transporting highly toxic material. In the 2022 Netflix film "White Noise" there was an evacuation after a train derailed - and that's what happened to the residents now. One of those affected was once an extra in film production.

As "CNN" and "New York Times" reported, US authorities evacuated thousands of residents last week in order to burn the freight train, which was transporting toxins such as volatile vinyl chloride, in a controlled manner and to prevent an explosion. Among other things, the fire, which lasted for days, released the highly toxic gas phosgene, which was used as a weapon in World War I and can cause vomiting and breathing difficulties. Chemicals contaminated the area with a cloud of poison, and local residents reported dead animals.

The 2021 film White Noise, based on the book by Don DeLillo, was filmed in the same region. The novel was published in 1985, shortly after a toxic cloud killed 4,000 people in Bhopal, India. The film is about a family of six who have to leave their home due to the evacuations and later try to get back to their old lives. Starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig.

The US Department of Health and Human Services warned residents of East Palestine about the fire. Anyone who is exposed to it must expect severe symptoms such as irritated eyes, nose, throat and skin, as well as vomiting and a damaged nervous system. When residents returned a few days later, farmers reported dead animals, including chickens, foxes, and frogs. Fish have also died, and toxins are also said to be found in the Ohio River.

On Monday evening, the environmental agency EPA said it had not measured any worrying levels of pollutants in the air since the controlled incineration. According to the press release, however, smells from the accident could still be perceived. The Mayor of East Palestine plans to hold a citizens' forum on Wednesday about the train derailment and its aftermath, where concerned residents could question authorities about the impact on the community.

Incidentally, the authorities also gave the all-clear in the film – which then turned out to be wrong.