White House urges Ohio residents near chemical leak to heed calls to evacuate

Toxic leak of styrene from railcar can cause respiratory issues and potentially can lead to organ damage

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were briefed on Wednesday on the dangerous chemical leak from a railcar near Cincinnati, Ohio, that has prompted evacuations of school buildings and homes.

The White House announced that the US president had been briefed on the leak of styrene from a parked railcar in Whitewater Township, near Cleves, on the outskirts of Cincinnati, on Tuesday, saying: Federal Railroad Administration and Environmental Protection Agency officials are on the ground assisting with hazmat operations and air quality testing.