But the Ohio derailment may wind up causing long-term damage on the scale of Chornobyl, and since then, people have been paying more attention to derailments in the news. 

2023 Derailments

Let's take a quick look at what's happened so far this year:

January 9: In Lake City, South Carolina, a train derailed after striking a car that had been parked on the tracks.  The engineer tried to stop but was unable to.  However, no one was in the car, so no injuries were reported.

January 19:  98 cars derailed near Trinway, Ohio.  Only one car out of the 98 was loaded, and no injuries were reported.  However, no causes have been reported yet.

January 21:  Multiple cars derail near Loris, South Carolina, spilling gravel and closing roads.  No injuries were reported.

February 3:  A wheel bearing overheated, causing cars to derail in East Palestine, Ohio.  Five of those cars were carrying vinyl chloride, and one of those cars began to overheat, leading authorities to fear an explosion.  In response, they lit the spilled chemicals on fire, poisoning the surrounding area.