- May 23, 2025
Dear Editor:
In a recent letter regarding the proposed establishment of a fuel storage facility with an attached rail link to be placed in our community the author asked, "When was the last time you read or saw on TV anything about a major incident?"
In February of 2023 a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Toxic fumes from a number of cars were released causing mass evacuations of nearby citizens and unknown long-term damage to their health, soil and water supplies. Sound familiar?
In February, 1988, a newspaper reported: "On Robin Hood Lane on Tuesday, residents of this Long Island community anxiously traded news about an 800,000-gallon gasoline leak oozing underground toward their homes. Northville Industries said Monday that a plume of leaded gasoline, spread over 30 acres and nearly seven feet deep in places, had leaked for as long as a decade from a pin-sized hole in an eight-inch pipe at its storage terminal here. The spill is 100 feet underground. The fumes, primarily benzene, a carcinogen, could seep into basements. In extreme cases, vapors could build up and explode."
My home was far enough from the spill that it wasn't affected. The homes of some of my friends were not so lucky. Sound familiar?
As to the planning and design of the facility being sound it is well to remember that airplanes are also planned and designed well but occasionally fall from the sky.
When an event happens to someone else it's termed an "incident." When it happens to you it is termed a "catastrophe." | admit to being lazy and have done no further research in this matter. However, I'm quite sure there are many other such reports. This is a potential catastrophe that can easily be avoided.
When an incident occurs behind your left shoulder interested parties will tell you to look to the right. I hope our officials are not so easily distracted.
Mark Vogel
Palm Coast
