White House defends Ohio train derailment response

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration on Friday defended its response to a Feb. 3 derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio caused a fire that sent a cloud of smoke over the town.

The White House said the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are deploying a team of medical personnel and toxicologists to conduct public health testing and assessments. Federal Railroad Administration chief Amit Bose will visit the site next week, while the Environmental Protection Agency is conducting additional testing, officials said.