‘Did You Shorten My Life?’ CEO Gets Brutally Grilled Over Train Disaster During CNN Town Hall

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw faced an absolutely brutal grilling during a CNN town hall with East Palestine, Ohio residents affected by his company’s disastrous train derailment.

Shaw’s company is responsible for the train that derailed on Feb. 3 and resulted in a massive release of toxic chemicals, including an apocalyptic-looking “controlled detonation.”

CNN held a town hall Wednesday night that included a panel of residents who peppered Shaw with deservedly tough questions, including one resident named Jim Stewart, whose lengthy question included “Did you shorten my life?”:

JIM STEWART, LIFELONG EAST PALESTINE RESIDENT: Yeah. A lot of this that I have to ask has been answered already. But I’m speaking on the aspect that we, the people of East Palestine are just being treated like dummies. We’re not dummies. We’re smart people. Listen to these people and what they have found out about different things, and everything else.

I’m angry. I’m angry about this. I lived in East Palestine for 65 years now. That’s my home. My grandmother came from Germany. She lived in Palestine. My dad grew up there. My family is growing up there now. It is disgusting that we just lost it. I live in a house that’s probably the closest of any of these, and it’s a shame. And it’s probably next to the closest one.

And our house has, you know, it’s been inspected, it’s been this, it’s been that. I’m afraid to put my dog out just to pee. I mean, he’s only this tall. So, you know, I don’t feel safe in this town now. You took it away from me. You took this away from us. You seem like a sincere man; I’m not calling you names. I’m not, you know, but your company stinks because they are not watching what’s going on.

Workers don’t pay attention nowadays. Supervisors make workers work. You’ve got to do something about this. I lost a lot. I lost the value of my home. I’m only one block. I can throw a stone through that (inaudible). And what do we do now? I come back from Chicago for four days — Chicago for four days. I came home the other day. I put the garage door up, I got — we pulled in the garage, got out of the car, put the garage door down.

As soon as we got out of that car the smell came back to us. Right away, instant headache. I’m 65 years old, a diabetic, (inaudible) hearts, heart disease. Everything. Now, did you shorten my life now? I want to retire and enjoy it. How are we going to enjoy it? You burned me. We were going to sell our house. Our value went poof. Do I mow the grass? Do I — can I plant tomatoes next summer? What can I do? I’m afraid to.

You know, and it’s in the air. Every day I cough (inaudible) a little cough here, a little cough there. I’ve never had that, you know. I got rashes on my cheeks, and all of my arms from the derailment. I don’t call it a derailment; I call it a disaster. It’s Norfolk’s disaster not a train derailment.

I’m an artist. I shoot from the hip, just like the governor just told you. I tell you the truth. You seem like a family man a great guy and all, but you know what, like I said, your company has to do something.

TAPPER: How are going to make it up to him, Mr. Shaw? How are you going to make it up to Jim Stewart and all the other families?

SHAW: Jim, thank you for his comments. I hear you. I’m terribly sorry that this has happened to this community. But what I can do, and what I will do, is make it right. We’re going to get the cleanup right. We’re going to reimburse the citizens. We’re going to invest in the long-term health of this community. I’m going to see this through. And we are going to be here.

And we are going to work with these community leaders to help it thrive. I think you heard the mayor talk about, you know, making this community even better. And that’s what I’m picking up as I’m talking to community leaders and citizens, you know. We are looking for ideas from the community and where we can help and things that we can do. That’s why we have somebody —

GIANNIOS: Well, would you be willing to buy their houses? Will you buy them out of their houses at the property values so they can — so Jim can retire? Is that — that’s making it right. Step up.

SHAW: We’re — we’re going — I’m sorry. I’m not interrupting.

J. STEWART: No, go ahead.

GIANNIOS: You’re good.

TAPPER: Jim wants to hear your answer.

SHAW: We’re going to do what’s right for this community.

GIANNIOS: Well, that’s the (inaudible).

J. STEWART: Your derailment, did it change me now? It’s changed — it’s made me an angry man. I’m a Christian, I love the Lord, but you have made me angry. I don’t want to be like that. I want you to respect me like I respect you right now and you’re saying, what, I lost everything now. I worked hard. I’m still working, on my 44th year at my job. I want to get out. Now I’m just stuck.

Watch above via CNN.