On Feb. 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed after a railcar's wheel bearing overheated, causing a fire. Three days later, officials conducted a "controlled release" of several tank cars that were filled with vinyl chloride, a toxic and flammable gas that can cause certain cancers, to prevent an explosion.

Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance returned to East Palestine, Ohio, two years after a toxic train derailment upended the community and left residents still struggling to recover. The vice president called for the rebuilding of East Palestine and sent the well wishes of President Donald Trump,