美国有毒化学品泄漏!毒云漫天,已有动物死亡……
2月13日,美国俄亥俄州冲上热搜。
据《华盛顿邮报》报道,当地时间2月3日,一列运载有毒化学品的列车在美国俄亥俄州东部发生脱轨,引发大火。
由于担心爆炸,俄亥俄州应急部门6日对其中5车厢的氯乙烯实施了“受控释放”操作。
In early February, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in eastern Ohio, igniting a fire that swept the town of East Palestine in smoke. Fearful of a major explosion, the authorities carved out an evacuation zone and then carried out a controlled release of toxic fumes to neutralize burning cargo inside some of the cars.
脱轨的部分列车在第二天仍在着火 图源:美联社
氯乙烯是一种有毒易燃气体,排放时车厢燃起大火,现场“毒云漫天”!
毒气燃烧现场 图源:美联社
据报道,当天脱轨事故现场附近有约1900名居民撤离。不过,俄亥俄州的应急部门已于2月8日表示,疏散的居民可以安全返回城镇。
Just after the derailment, about 1,900 residents in East Palestine were told to evacuate the area. On Feb 8, the governor's office said residents were permitted to return home, after air quality samples measured contaminants below levels of concern.
对此,俄亥俄州危险材料专家西尔·卡吉亚诺警告道,此次事故相当于是“用化学物质毁了一个小镇”,“当官员们很快就告诉人们可以回家时,我感到很惊讶。”
疏散区域外围动物出现中毒症状
据澳大利亚新闻网13日报道,在疏散区域外围的一名农场主表示,其农场中的一些动物已出现咳嗽、腹泻、流泪、无食欲等中毒症状。该农场主说,当地民众一直被告知,空气是安全的,但事实并非如此。
Animals are falling sick or dying near the train derailment and chemical fire in East Palestine, Ohio, according to widespread reports, which has sparked fears of more widespread impacts.
Taylor Holzer, owner of a farm just outside the evacuation zone near the fire, told WKBN that several animals that he keeps on his property became ill. Some developed a range of symptoms, including liquid diarrhea, watery eyes and puffy faces.
另据美国哥伦比亚广播公司报道,附近地区河流中已发现鱼类死亡,引发民众担忧。
现场报道记者被抓捕
事发一周美国主流媒体集体沉默
此次化学物质泄露事件引发民众恐慌,然而,事情发生一周以来,美国主流媒体却鲜有报道。相较于同时期发生的所谓“气球”事件,它的最高热度只有“气球”的1/5左右。
以CNN为例,2月3日至13日,提到“气球”事件的报道高达96篇,提到俄亥俄州脱轨事件的报道只有11篇。
更令人惊讶的是,美国“新闻国家”记者兰伯特在对该事件进行直播报道时与警察发生激烈冲突,随后被强行带走、逮捕。
The arrest of a reporter during a news conference about the derailment led to online criticism of the law enforcement response.
根据CNN的报道,警方表述为该名记者阻挠发布会的正常举行,所以逮捕他;而记者方面的说法是他认为自己只是在做自己的报道工作而已。
对于媒体的集体失声,不少网友在社交媒体发出质疑:
“我很惊讶这件事居然没上头条?”
“我今天早上才听说的”
“这到底是怎么回事? 我一直在问朋友并上网查询,美国主流媒体(头版)对俄亥俄州化学列车脱轨的报道几乎为零。以下是《纽约时报》和CNN今天的首页。”
“我住在美国,我对主流媒体忽视或者说几乎没有报道该事件而感到困惑……他们不停地报道特朗普和艳星,却忽视了我此生在美国遇到的最严重的环境灾难之一。”
与之形成对比的是,美国近来对气球事件的大肆炒作,对此,中国日报社欧盟分社社长陈卫华(@chenweihua)讽刺道:“继续用气球或其他不明物体转移注意力,这样就没人谈论俄亥俄州的化学灾难或北溪丑闻了。”
多种危险物质泄露
氯乙烯是什么?
据美国有线电视新闻网(CNN)当地时间13日报道,在上周三的简报会上,当被问及究竟是什么泄漏时,事故火车所属的运营公司诺福克南方代表列出了丙烯酸丁酯、氯乙烯和少量无害润滑油。
When asked at Wednesday’s briefing about exactly what spilled, representatives from Norfolk Southern listed butyl acrylate, vinyl chloride and a small amount of non-hazardous lube oil.
环保工作者在火车脱轨地点附近的溪流中放置拦油栅 图源:美联社
据悉,丙烯酸丁酯是一种透明无色液体,带有强烈的水果气味,可用于制造塑料和油漆。可以吸入、摄入或通过皮肤吸收。据美国国家职业安全与健康研究所称,它会刺激眼睛、皮肤和肺部,并可能导致呼吸急促。反复接触会导致肺损伤。
报道指出,用于制造PVC管道的氯乙烯会导致头晕、嗜睡和头痛。它还与肝癌、脑癌、肺癌和血液癌的风险增加有关。
Vinyl chloride, which is used to make PVC pipes, can cause dizziness, sleepiness and headaches. It has also been linked to an increased risk of cancer in the liver, brain, lungs and blood.
氯乙烯燃烧后,会将碳酰氯(Phosgene,俗称光气)和氯化氢排放到空气中。光气是一种剧毒无色气体,具有强烈的气味,可引起呕吐和呼吸困难,在第一次世界大战中被用作武器。
“These are often very toxic and often very persistent in the environment.”
James Justice of the US Environmental Protection Agency said around-the-clock air monitoring has shown normal, un-concerning levels. Hundreds of data points from that "show that the air quality in the town is safe," he said.
Caggiano said, adding, “There’s a lot of what ifs, and we’re going to be looking at this thing 5, 10, 15, 20 years down the line and wondering, ‘Gee, cancer clusters could pop up, you know, well water could go bad.’”
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