Residents of East Palestine, Ohio have had to evacuate their homes as a result of a toxic train crash earlier this month.
When the crash and subsequent fire sparked health and safety concerns, locals fled their homes, both voluntarily and under order - but not everyone is willing to leave their home behind:
The freight train that crashed on 3 February was carrying heaps of hazardous chemicals, so emergency crews had to conduct a controlled burn in the hopes of scorching off the dangerous substances.
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As a result of the fire, black clouds of hydrogen chloride and phosgene ballooned into the air, forcing approximately 2,000 to evacuate the surrounding area amid concerns that they might suffer from respiratory infections if they stuck around.
Fearing the long-term health implications of the crash, some people have left their homes, neighbourhoods, jobs, and lifetimes of memories.
But others just can't bring themselves to say goodbye to the Ohio village.
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It might seem like a no-brainer to those outside of the situation - after all, the results of the crash speak for themselves.
One such resident who refused to leave told Countere Magazine: "My kid’s buried in the cemetery down the street. I’m not going to leave unless I can take her with me."
People's hearts broke when they heard the grieving dad's story, taking to Twitter to discuss the difficult decision that East Palestine residents have been forced to make.
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"We are not computers processing an algorithm. We are humans loving and feeling and thinking our way through life," commented one viewer.
Another agreed: "As someone who grew up 20 minutes outside of East Palenstine and has family there around there, I wish people could truly understand that many people can't leave. You can't just drop your life and go. You can't just walk away."
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has been trying to reassure locals that there is nothing to be concerned about and that the air and water were totally safe - despite the reported stench of chemicals in the creek.
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has also told residents that they can now safely return home, but many are still hesitant.
Meanwhile, a new report from Ohio Department of Natural Resources found that almost 45,000 animals within a five mile radius have died as a result of the crash.
Speaking to the BBC earlier this month, environmental health and engineering professor Keeve Nachman noted that the chemicals involved in the train crash 'have been associated with serious health effects including cancer', adding that, when burned, these chemicals can create new, potentially dangerous compounds.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said this week that Norfolk Southern Railway were to blame for the nightmarish crash, as well as and the former administration of Donald Trump, who had loosened railway regulations.
Ali Condon