Crew tried to stop Ohio train after alert about wheel bearing, safety report finds

Investigators into East Palestine incident say engineer put on brakes but train derailed and became engulfed in huge fireball

The crew of the freight train carrying dangerous chemicals that derailed in Ohio earlier this month received a warning about an overheating wheel bearing and tried to slow the train before it came off the tracks, according to an interim report released on Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The wheel bearing was heating up for several miles before reaching 253F hotter than the air temperature, investigators found, a dangerous level requiring a train to stop to prevent disaster.