Warning residents to leave immediately or risk physical harm, emergency officials plan to release the toxic gases being stored in five train cars that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, with Republican Governor Mike DeWine saying, “You need to leave, you just need to leave. This is a matter of life and death,” according to the Associated Press.

A spokesman for Norfolk Southern Railway said the process would involve using a small charge to open a hole in each of the tankers, allowing the gases to dissipate in the air.  Officials are calling for the complete evacuation of the area because, as the spokesman noted, ““We can’t control where that goes.”  He noted there is also the potential for each car to explode, sending debris and shrapnel rocketing throughout the area, which includes the town of East Palestine and around 20 properties in neighboring Pennsylvania.

Emergency crews were pulled away from the 50-car derailment hours after the accident late Friday night after crews from five states responding to the scene were told one of the cars contained vinyl chloride, a dangerous and potentially explosive chemical.  In fact, five of the cars contain the dangerous chemical.  Although officials have not yet specified the cause of the accident, members of the three-person crew aboard the train reported receiving a warning that there was a warning signal from one of the cars’ axle just prior to the derailment.