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EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Investigators probing the toxic train disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, are reviewing multiple videos of the train prior to it derailing.
One video shows "what appears to be a wheel bearing in the final stage of overheat failure moments before the derailment," the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement Tuesday.
"The suspected overheated wheel bearing has been collected and will be examined by engineers from the NTSB's Materials Laboratory in Washington, D.C," the statement said.
The wheelset will undergo a metallurgical examination as part of the overall investigation. The safety board also said investigators will return to complete an examination of the tank cars once they are fully decontaminated.
Investigators have not yet determined what they believe caused the disaster. Such a determination typically takes many months.
The train carrying hazardous materials, including the toxic chemical vinyl chloride, derailed Feb. 3, prompting evacuation orders for residents in the village of 5,000 people near the Pennsylvania border.
The wreckage burned for days as authorities worried about the possibility of a widespread, deadly explosion. But crews managed controlled detonations to release the chemical, which can kill quickly at high levels and increase cancer risk.
The safety board said it is reviewing other videos, too, including footage from two local businesses reported by local media to show glowing or flames from the train prior to the derailment.
The agency is also reviewing recording data from the train's so-called black boxes, including an event recorder and image recorders.
