EAST PALESTINE — Now that it’s daylight and the day after the controlled release of vinyl chloride from the derailed train cars in East Palestine, officials are getting their first looks of the wreckage in person, according to Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency Director Peggy Clark.

“They are in there now to get a better assessment of the situation,” she said Tuesday morning.

Up until then, they had to rely on drone footage to see what was happening with the rail cars and go from there.

“Their goal is to get in there and start coming up with a plan to get the damaged equipment cleaned up,” she said.

The eastern part of East Palestine remains under an evacuation order, but residents out of the evacuation zone may notice helicopters and planes flying overhead. Clark explained the aircraft are monitoring the air at the request of Norfolk Southern and their contractor to check on any effects from the controlled release that was done Monday. The federal Environmental Protection Agency and OEPA remain in the area to conduct air quality monitoring and monitoring of the waterways.

When people can come home will depend on the assessment at the scene and the air monitoring, which occurred not just in Columbiana County, but also into Mahoning County and other areas.

“All their results have been good,” she said, regarding the air quality.

The junior high/high school remains open as a shelter, East Palestine schools are closed for the rest of the week, with extracurricular activities also cancelled. Norfolk Southern’s family assistance center at Abundant Life Fellowship church in New Waterford also remains open to help families with expenses for hotel rooms, gas and other needs they have.

Another press conference to update the media and community on next steps and what’s happening is planned for this afternoon.