Graniteville, S.C.
Nine people were killed by toxic fumes last week when a freight train carrying chlorine gas crashed into parked rail cars in South Carolina. Rodney Johnson was working at a nearby textile mill, where six workers died. “I saw a green mist coming toward me,” he said. “It tore me all up. My eyes burned and lungs hurt. I couldn’t breathe.” The train engineer was among the dead. Hundreds were injured and thousands evacuated, as gases leaked for days. Investigators said a crew that moved two rail cars onto a side rail had failed to switch the tracks back to the main line, sending the next train smashing into them.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
US, China agree to lower tariffs for 90 daysspeed read US tariffs will fall to 30% from 145%, while China will cut its tax on US imports to 10% from 125%
-
Qatar luxury jet gift clouds Trump trip to Mideastspeed read Qatar is said to be presenting Trump with a $400 million plane, which would be among the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the US government
-
Does ketchup belong on a hot dog and more May 12 editorial cartoonsCartoons Monday's cartoons feature Pope Leo XIV, Newark airport, and Donald Trump's meme coin
