Sidebar

Fertilizer plant explodes in West, Texas - massive damage/casualties

JPT4Bama

JPT4Bama

Hall of Fame
Aug 21, 2006
5,793
0
0
Hoover, AL
So far between 5-15 dead and dozens injured. Could be several more fatalities according to the latest reports.
Swanton said authorities believe that between five and 15 people were killed in the blast, but stressed that is an early estimate as search and rescue operations remain under way. There is no indication the blast was anything other than an industrial accident, he said.West Mayor Tommy Muska told reporters that his city of about 2,800 residents needs "your prayers." A search for survivors continued throughout the night, as emergency workers went house to house and business to business looking for people trapped in the rubble.
"We've got a lot of people who are hurt, and there's a lot of people, I'm sure, who aren't gonna be here tomorrow," Muska said. "We're gonna search for everybody. We're gonna make sure everybody's accounted for. That's the most important thing right now."
Click to expand...
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/1...sion-at-texas-fertilizer-plant/#ixzz2QoMIQYiQ
 
RTR91

RTR91

Super Moderator
Nov 23, 2007
39,407
6
0
Prattville
cbi1972 said:
The article said 4 blocks. I guess everything is bigger in Texas.
Click to expand...
I clearly heard wrong on the news because I can't find anything else that says 5 miles. My apologies, you guys.
TexasTideFan said:
Yep.

Find the video of the dad filming it pre-explosion with his daughter. They were in a field maybe 400-500 yards away. It was a massive blast. Looked like a nuke almost.
Click to expand...
No kidding...

 
B

banjeaux

All-American
Jun 6, 2007
2,131
1
0
Slidell, Louisiana
West, TX explosion: Obama & Moochelle to attend memorial service

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews....morial-service-thursday-with-first-lady.html/

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama will attend Thursday’s memorial service for victims of the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas.

“After the formal opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, the President and First Lady will travel to Baylor University in Waco, Texas to attend the memorial service for those lost and injured in the deadly explosion at the fertilizer plant,” a White House aide said Monday afternoon.
Click to expand...
Hmm ... Wonder what Obama will say to make it political or about himself.
 
G

gmart74

Hall of Fame
Oct 9, 2005
12,344
2
57
Baltimore, Md
TexasTideFan said:
The explosion had to blow out their ear drums. They are pretty lucky to survive seeing the blast from the video.
Click to expand...
Btw, little known fact- if you are anticipating an explosion you should face it and open your mouth to prevent your eardrums from being blown out. By opening your mouth the pressure wave will hit both sides of the eardrum and cancel out... theoretically.
 
seebell

seebell

Hall of Fame
Mar 12, 2012
11,919
5,105
187
Gurley, Al
Nice aerial shot of schools in close proximity to the fertilizer plant. Good thing school was out.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/19/1203241/-The-wonder-of-libertarian-zoning-laws-West-Texas-edition?detail=email
It's tragic enough that maybe three dozen were killed because of the gross negligence of the owners of West Fertilizer Co in West, Texas.
But compounding the carnage, it seems as if half the town was leveled including several schools and houses five blocks from the plant. But wait, there were houses five blocks from a fertilizerplant? There were actually houses across the street from this plant, and not just houses, but two of the town's three schools:
 
lazlohollyfeld

lazlohollyfeld

1st Team
Jul 20, 2010
828
0
0
Allen, TX
seebell said:
Nice aerial shot of schools in close proximity to the fertilizer plant. Good thing school was out.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/19/1203241/-The-wonder-of-libertarian-zoning-laws-West-Texas-edition?detail=email
It's tragic enough that maybe three dozen were killed because of the gross negligence of the owners of West Fertilizer Co in West, Texas.
But compounding the carnage, it seems as if half the town was leveled including several schools and houses five blocks from the plant. But wait, there were houses five blocks from a fertilizerplant? There were actually houses across the street from this plant, and not just houses, but two of the town's three schools:
Click to expand...
Is that a proper link given the tone and language of the comments section below the article?

And someone far more versed in Texas law would need to comment, but I did notice something when this first happened. Having traveled passed through West too many times to count, I loaded up a satellite shot of the city to see where the plant is located. According to that the plant actually sits just outside the city limits, those roads that run to the west and south of the plant are the city line. Where does the city of West's zoning authority end, the city line? Just wondering if it is a loophole in the zoning regulations.

Of course the plant was there first, the houses and everything else came after.
 
Last edited:
CajunCrimson

CajunCrimson

Moderator (FB,BB) and Vinyl Enthusiast
Staff member
Mar 13, 2001
26,789
21,590
337
Breaux Bridge, La
gmart74 said:
Btw, little known fact- if you are anticipating an explosion you should face it and open your mouth to prevent your eardrums from being blown out. By opening your mouth the pressure wave will hit both sides of the eardrum and cancel out... theoretically.
Click to expand...
Do you know how I know you are gay? :)
 
B

banjeaux

All-American
Jun 6, 2007
2,131
1
0
Slidell, Louisiana
Why did West, TX, build homes & school next to 'time bomb'?

seebell said:
Nice aerial shot of schools in close proximity to the fertilizer plant. Good thing school was out.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/19/1203241/-The-wonder-of-libertarian-zoning-laws-West-Texas-edition?detail=email
It's tragic enough that maybe three dozen were killed because of the gross negligence of the owners of West Fertilizer Co in West, Texas.
But compounding the carnage, it seems as if half the town was leveled including several schools and houses five blocks from the plant. But wait, there were houses five blocks from a fertilizerplant? There were actually houses across the street from this plant, and not just houses, but two of the town's three schools:
Click to expand...

Perhaps, this Christian Science article will shed some light on the situation in West, Seebell. The plant was there first and out in the country from town. The powers-that-be allowed the construction.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2013/0420/Why-did-West-Texas-build-homes-and-a-school-next-to-a-time-bomb/(page)/2

Against that backdrop, the question of why so close, at least in part, cuts to the heart of the civic pact of many American towns, both large and small, where industry and people forge a sort of mutualism that recognizes the symbiotic benefits of labor and profit, and fuels civic pride. After all, small towns from upstate New York to the Texas Panhandle have a similar motif, where a few industries, often near or in town, infuse economic vitality and give young people a reason to stay.

*********************************************************

In West's case, the plant, owned by the local Adair family, was built in 1962 at the edge of a farming community settled in 1892 by emigrant Czechs. As the years went by, the town grew out, past, and around the plant, in a careful embrace underscored by a recognition among at least some in town that danger was ever-present.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Posts

Latest threads

TideFans.shop - NEW Stuff!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a> <br /> <!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \--> <p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.

Top Bottom