CRASH SCENE -- This photo taken with a drone shows portions of a Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed Friday night in East Palestine. -- Associated Press

WHEELING — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice on Wednesday said Norfolk Southern’s train that derailed Friday in East Palestine, Ohio, did lead to a chemical leak into the Ohio River, and that officials in Weirton had switched to an alternate water supply to keep the community safe.

“There were chemicals that went into the Ohio River, and immediately the people of Weirton acted and acted promptly and everything to basically shut down and transfer over to an alternate supply source for their water,” Justice said during a briefing at the State Capitol.

Moving to an alternate water supply was done “in an abundance of caution. They moved prudently and quickly. … Literally this was done with an abundance of caution.”

The spill from the ruptured tanker cars would have had to travel through local creeks and tributaries to reach the Ohio River. There was no immediate word if other municipal water providers such as Steubenville or Toronto also moved to an alternate water source.

Justice said the response to the train derailment from West Virginia officials was strong. “We had a lot of people jumping in, whether it was our DEP or the Emergency Management Division, the DHHR, the National Guard, all began offering support and help. … We feel like everything is fine here.”

Toronto Mayor John Parker confirmed Wednesday afternoon that officials with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency are taking samples at intakes along the Ohio River serving the city’s water treatment plant to determine if vinyl chloride and other chemicals from the derailed train are present.

Parker said staff at the water plant took its own routine samples on Monday.

“Right now we’re not finding any red flags. Everyone should know there are samples being taken and there’s always that possibility (of chemicals reaching water near the city),” he said.

Parker said in the event the OEPA would recommend the city close its valves, it could draw temporarily on a water storage tank.

“We could go a day or two if we needed to,” he said.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has scheduled a press conference for 3 p.m. today in East Palestine to offer an update on the situation.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has scheduled a press conference for 3 p.m. today in East Palestine to offer an update on the situation.