‘It Smelled So Bad’: Store Owner Describes Fallout From Toxic Train Derailment
Harold Hutchison on February 17, 2023
The owner of a store in East Palestine, Ohio, described pungent odors in the area near the site where a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed during a Friday Fox News appearance.
“I put on an N95 mask and goggles. They don’t do any good because I can still smell it. The first time I went into my shop was 36 hours after the derailment,” Maggie Guglielmo told guest host Trace Gallagher. “I wanted to make sure that everything was secure because it was Sunday, it was a weekend. I wanted to get a few things out that I thought I might need. It smelled so bad, less than 10 minutes later, my eyes were watering and I was coughing. So, I got out of there.” (RELATED: ‘No Big Deal’: Gov’t Response Would’ve Been Different If Toxic Train Derailment Happened In DC, Tucker Carlson Says)
A train carrying toxic chemicals derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, Feb. 3, prompting evacuations and shelter-in-place orders as authorities moved to address the release of the chemicals. Officials warned of a possible “catastrophic blast” Feb. 6, and carried out a controlled burn of chemicals, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
“The next day, the mandatory evacuation was in place. I didn’t go back into my shop until the following Saturday,” Guglielmo continued. “I was there for about another 10 minutes to grab more things. I didn’t think I’d be able to be back there. The smell was just still overpowering.”
WATCH:
“I had someone come into my office Monday and take some of the wristbands that I have, he grabbed a couple of wristbands and put them in his car. The next day, his car smelled. So my inventory is shot. The whole place is shot,” Guglielmo said. “I have taken out my computers and I cleaned them and I’ve got them in storage now. But everything else there, anything that has upholstery or paper or my inventory of wrist bands is probably ruined.”
“My total inventory has been compromised. This particular one was made for a class reunion that I had done. I have no inventory now to print. I can’t sell,” Guglielmo said. “I am out of business until insurance comes through, if possible, to be able to replace my inventory, clean my equipment and possibly find another place to set up shop, I’m out of business. I don’t know what else to do. The inventory is gone.”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
