Netflix viewers have drawn uncanny parallels between a recent film and the chemical spill that took place in Ohio earlier this month.
On 3 Febuary, a 50-car train derailment in the small town of East Palestine caused a leak of chemicals including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether.
More than 2,000 residents were ordered to evacuate nearby buildings due to health concerns over the leak but have since been allowed to return.
White Noise, starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig, was released on the Netflix late last year.
Adapted from the acclaimed 1985 novel by American writer Don DeLillo, the film follows a death-obsessed academic (Driver), and his family.
One of the biggest plot points in both the book and film concerns a train crash which release a huge cloud of toxic chemicals into the air, referred to somewhat euphemistically as the Airbourne Toxic Event.
Viewers have pointed out similarities between the disaster as it is depicted in the film and the recent spill in Ohio.
In an interview with People, East Palestine resident Ben Ratner – who featured as an extra in White Noise– spoke about the strange parallels.
“Talk about art imitating life,” he said. “This is such a scary situation. And you can just about drive yourself crazy thinking about how uncanny the similarities are between what’s happening now and in that movie.”
Fears continue to mount over the long-term effects of the disaster, with reports already suggesting that local wildlife has been thrown into jeopardy.
You can keep up to date with the latest developments in the story here.
White Noise is available to stream now on Netflix.
