Published February 16, 2023
PolitiFact reports on the disastrous train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that has left many local residents concerned about public safety and the environment. The article quotes UB faculty members Michel Bruneau and Joana Gaia.
The derailment is "not good, but not apocalyptic," said Bruneau, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering. "This is not Bhopal."
Gaia, clinical assistant professor in the School of Management, suggested that exaggerated claims can fill a vacuum when there is little confirmed information and a constantly evolving situation. "From a news reporting perspective, we are not in an underreporting situation, but rather almost in a waiting pattern for the situation to change," she said.
