John Seewer | Associated Press

The federal government has filed a lawsuit against railroad Norfolk Southern over environmental damage caused by the East Palestine derailment.

Ohio has filed a lawsuit against railroad Norfolk Southern to make sure it pays for the cleanup and environmental damage caused by the East Palestine derailment.

Federal investigators on Tuesday announced a special investigation into rail operator Norfolk Southern. The move follows a fiery derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border in February and several other accidents, including the death of a train conductor this week.

A preliminary federal report says the crew operating the freight train that derailed in East Palestine didn’t get much warning before dozens of cars went off the tracks.

During a Wednesday visit to East Palestine, Ohio, former President Donald Trump described the federal response to the toxic train derailment there as a “betrayal”

Federal environmental regulators have taken charge of the cleanup from the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment and chemical burn and ordered Norfolk Southern to foot the bill.

Plumes of smoke, questions about dead animals, worries about the drinking water. A train derailment in Ohio and subsequent burning of some of the hazardous chemicals has people asking: how worried should they be?

It's unclear when evacuated residents might be able to return home to the area where officials released and burned toxic chemicals from the wreckage of a derailed train.

Crews in Ohio have released toxic chemicals from five cars of a derailed train near the Pennsylvania state line to reduce the threat of an explosion. Flames and black smoke billowed high into the sky from the derailment site. Norfolk Southern Railway confirmed Monday evening that the cars were draining and that burning was underway as planned.

Authorities in Ohio say they plan to release toxic chemicals from five cars of a derailed train in Ohio at 3:30 p.m. Monday to reduce the threat of an explosion.