FREMONT, Ohio — Protestors in Fremont are calling for rail companies and government leaders to take action before another train derailment, like in East Palestine, Ohio, in early February, happens.
Any town with in-use railroads could be next, necessitating stricter rail laws and accountability, protestors said.
Ohio's two train derailments in the last month are the reason the protestors demanding change. A second Norfolk Southern train derailed in Springfield on Saturday, one month after the East Palestine derailment.
"These kinds of accidents are happening more frequently right now and yes, it could be us," People for Peace and Justice organizer Josie Setzler said.
Protestors with the community group said their town could be vulnerable if the U.S. Congress and other leaders don't make changes to the rail industry.
"What's the difference between that town and this town?" protestor Tom Younker said. "We've got trains going through here with tankers all the time. It happened to be, for those people, unlucky enough and it happened there. What if it happened here? It could happen anywhere."
The protestors called for tougher laws and regulations, updated braking systems and better regulation of hazardous materials.
"In East Palestine, those first responders didn't know what was burning up in those cars," Setzler said. "They didn't know it was vinyl chloride. They didn't know it for hours. There are lots of steps to be taken to make our communities safer."
The group is taking those grievances to the tracks in hopes that their protests put pressure on companies like Norfolk Southern.
"Injustice to one is an injustice to all of us and they need to make it right," protestor Dennis Gamertsfelder said.
The protestors also demanded Norfolk Southern take responsibility and better help the people impacted by their trains that derailed.
"They are using our common ground here," Setzler said. "They are coming through our communities, they owe this to us. They must put our safety over profits."