EAST PALESTINE – East Palestine residents within a one-mile radius of a Friday train derailment better not be planning to get back home soon.

During a press conference Saturday afternoon, officials estimated that it could be days rather than hours until the hazardous materials fire triggered by the disaster is out despite the effort of more than six dozen fire departments in the tri-state area. Currently due to safety concerns, Norfolk Southern officials have not permitted firefighters in the area due to the lack of knowledge regarding which chemical cars may be involved.

However, officials have set up two emergency shelters for residents: one miles away at the East Palestine High School and another at the community building at a neighboring community – New Waterford.

Traffic was somewhat brisk overnight in East Palestine, where shelter manager Jeff Mann said they provided cots and meals for 46 people until around the next meeting. As of late Saturday morning, the majority of them had left the shelter, where they were provided some of the comforts of home while they considered their next step, whether it was returning home to shelter in place or stay with a loved one.

The East Palestine shelter was set up in the high school gymnasium, where cots could be seen sitting on their sides after crews had cleaned for the next round of visitors and school spirit banners flanked the background.

Johnny Street was one of the volunteers greeting visitors near the gym door. No news was to be had for either volunteers or visitors, as he sat peeled to his cell phone for updated information. “You know the smoke is visible on weather radar,” he pointed out while himself confirming that media report.

One of the few people sheltering at the gym late Saturday morning was Charel Smith of North Liberty, her adult grandson Tanner Everson and her dog Molly.

They live around a half mile away from the incident scene and arrived around 11:30 p.m. Friday night after hearing sirens in their neighbor. Everson, who lives with Smith and Molly, explained, “I didn’t hear the initial derailment when it happened but began hearing sirens around 10 p.m. and looked out the window. I saw an unhealthy orange glow and a lot of smoke,” so they evacuated.

Police arrived shortly after, Smith said, and were knocking on doors of residents within that one mile radius to evacuate, but Smith, Everson and Molly already had left.

Smith described lots of cars leaving town as they were evacuating, reminiscent of the traffic lines seen on television during an impending hurricane.

Although they miss being home, Smith said that she, Everson and Molly will stay until they get the word it is safe, and they hope it will be sooner rather than later.

Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency Director Peggy Clark explained that residents can call 211 for updates, and Norfolk Southern is opening a family assistance center at the East Palestine community park building for one-on-one consultations. She said the American Red Cross can assist residents in getting any needed medications that they cannot access or with any medical conditions.

East Palestine is the home of 4,718 residents. Roughly half are currently evacuated.