Heightened levels of a flammable and toxic substance known as vinyl chloride have led officials in Paulsboro, New Jersey to close schools for at least a day. The elevated amounts of the chemical were the result of an incident in which seven freight cars carrying the substance were derailed, spilling upwards of 12,000 gallons into the area’s Mantua Creek. Evacuations of homes near to the disaster were had, and once a nearby air monitoring station deduced that levels of toxins were on the rise, the decision was made to close the schools. An accident report will be put together by inspectors looking into the incident.
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