Citing the “number and significance of recent Norfolk Southern accidents,” federal investigators said Tuesday they will open a special investigation into the railway’s safety culture.
The National Transportation Safety Board said the probe encompasses multiple incidents and three deaths since December 2021, including the toxic East Palestine derailment and the employee killed earlier today. In addition to the incidents it is already investigating, as part of the probe, investigators will also look into an October 28 derailment in Sandusky, Ohio.
“The NTSB is concerned that several organizational factors may be involved in the accidents, including safety culture,” the board said in a statement. “The NTSB will conduct an in-depth investigation into the safety practices and culture of the company. At the same time, the company should not wait to improve safety and the NTSB urges it to do so immediately.”
Norfolk Southern’s CEO, Alan Shaw, is scheduled to testify before a Senate committee on Thursday.
