EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Many have reported concerns in regard to a large pool of water in East Palestine after heavy rain on Friday, but a spokesperson from Norfolk Southern said it is not a cause for concern.

In an email to one of our sister stations, Connor Spielmaker stated the following, “This area is 1.5 miles away from the derailment site, and the derailment site remains contained. This water is not coming from the derailment site. We have purposely dammed this area to raise water levels to allow for aeration. In heavy rain events, those waters can rise but is not a reason for concern.”

First News will continue to monitor the situation and provide any updates here.

Abigail Cloutier contributed to this report.