Evacuation zone being scaled back in Paulsboro following last week’s chemical spill

Some evacuated Paulsboro residents could be in their homes by tonight. Indoor air-quality testing began today and if there are no signs of vinyl chloride gas residents will be allowed to go in.On Wednesday, the last of the vinyl chloride was removed from a breached tanker that was part of a train derailment last week over Mantua Creek.

Here is an an excerpted version of air testing procedures. It was posted this morning on a new emergency information website paulsbororesponse.com.

You will be escorted to your home by a police officer and an air monitoring technician.Once at your home, the technician will measure the air quality outside your home and document for record keeping purposes.
If this instrument does not detect vinyl chloride, you will be given your testing results and can return home.
The U.S. Coast Guard says it remains on schedule in removing the derailed cars and believes that all residents will be able to return home on Sunday.

The NTSB said it has finished its on-the-ground portion of investigation and will have a preliminary report completed in about two weeks.

Federal investigators have completed the on-the-ground portion of their probe into a train derailment in Paulsboro last Friday that caused the release of a hazardous chemical. The National Transportation Safety Board says it will have a preliminary report completed in about two weeks.

Meanwhile, the site cleanup is continuing as crews remove derailed cars. Schools were closed again today.