Air quality monitors have shown little to no effect in the derailment aftermath in Ohio, officials said Monday.

A train derailment on Friday led to an explosion and then a fire that raged for an extended period near East Palestine, Ohio, about 50 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. Officials issued evacuation orders for the Ohio town, noting that another explosion is possible and that being too close to the fumes coming from the wreckage could be harmful.

With the fire raging for hours and news of possible toxic contamination, some have questioned if the derailment would have any negative air quality effects for the surrounding region, including Pittsburgh.

Allegheny County Health Department officials told the Tribune-Review that they have been reviewing monitored data since the derailment. ACHD Bureau of Environmental Health Deputy Director Geoffrey Rabinowitz said it does not appear that the derailment will impact the county’s air quality

“East Palestine is 25 miles to the northwest of the county border, and we have not seen anything that has affected our monitor sites,” said Rabinowitz. “The program will continue to monitor the situation and make recommendations, if necessary.”

According to the county’s website, the highest most recent air quality rating was taken Monday at 10 a.m. in Avalon and it showed AQI of 49 of PM 2.5, aka fine particulate matter. That rating is within the “good” air quality index.

Yesterday, East Palestine officials said the town’s air quality monitors also showed no levels of concern.

Though air quality was not a concern, the risk of explosion has impacted some school districts in Western Pennsylvania.

Two school districts in Beaver County announced Monday they are dismissing students from school because they are located within relatively close proximity to the derailment site.

Both Blackhawk School District, located less than 10 miles from East Palestine, and Western Beaver County School District, more than 16 miles from the Ohio town, are dismissing students following requests made by the command center in East Palestine.

Blackhawk School District started dismissal with high school students at 12:15 p.m., then middle school students at 12:45 p.m. Elementary students will be dismissed starting at 1:15 p.m.

The dismissal for Western Beaver County high school and junior high students began at noon. Elementary students started dismissals at 12:45 p.m

All after school activities have been canceled, according to the school districts, including a girls’ basketball game between Blackhawk and Quaker Valley High School.

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