Ohio train disaster could happen elsewhere in U.S.: media

NEW YORK, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- This month's train disaster along the Pennsylvania border in East Palestine, Ohio, serves as a stark reminder about the dangers of shipping toxic materials through U.S. neighborhoods and communities, reported The Philadelphia Inquirer on Thursday.

"What we witnessed in Ohio could certainly happen again. On average, there are more than 1,700 train derailments per year in the United States," the report noted.

"There's no way around it: The abundance of trains shipping toxic and hazardous substances across the country poses a serious threat to public safety and the environment," said the report.

Members of Congress and local elected leaders must speak to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and call on the White House to stop the transportation of liquefied natural gas by rail, according to the report.

"We cannot risk the lives of millions of people in our region for the gas industry's profits. The Ohio train derailment should serve as a wake-up call for our nation's leaders, and a call to action for all of us," it added.