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[Barrylocke]

Texas Plant Blast in 2013 Found to Be Criminal Act

DALLAS, Texas—Federal officials on Wednesday said the 2013 fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, which killed 15 people and injured more than 250, was a criminal act.

At a news conference in the tiny Central Texas town Wednesday, Robert Elder, special agent in charge of the Houston division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the agency had now determined a fire that led to the massive explosion was intentionally set.

Officials said they are searching for those responsible for setting the fire.

“We came to the conclusion after we ruled out all reasonable accidental and natural causes,” Mr. Elder said.

He said the agency had conducted 400 interviews, which have resulted in many leads, but wouldn’t say if there were any suspects. “We are headed in the right direction,” he said.

The explosion on April 17, 2013, at the West Fertilizer Co. leveled a warehouse that was storing ammonium nitrate, leaving a crater 90 feet wide and destroying more than 500 homes in this tight-knit community of 2,800 located between Dallas and Austin.

A January report by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board found problems with how the material at the fertilizer plant was stored and said sufficient safety precautions hadn’t been followed.

Of those killed in the accident, 12 were fire fighters or first responders.

 

[Johndoey]

Oh damn son that's fucked up.

 

[perfectchaos007]

That's what I feared. I know a lot of people just concluded it was an accident caused by the supposed lack of industry regulations in the state of Texas. They were wrong

 

[jmdajr]

I remember this. Videos were INSANE.

 

[Allard]

That's what I feared. I know a lot of people just concluded it was an accident caused by the supposed lack of industry regulations in the state of Texas. They were wrong

I'm sure there were people who did conclude that but most of the complaints were based on how it was possible for residential to be so close to that plant in the first place. The actual nature of how the fire was started people assumed was an accident and not necessarily from neglect, still if they did conclude it a criminal act I just hope that means they continue to look further into how it was caused to make it less likely for something like this to happen again, intentional or otherwise.

 

[PSqueak]

Of those killed in the accident, 12 were fire fighters or first responders.

All things considered, this is a good number, no disrespect to the heroic firefighters and rescuers deaths, but the fact that the civilian deaths are so low is one to be proud.

 

[entremet]

All things considered, this is a good number, no disrespect to the heroic firefighters and rescuers deaths, but the fact that the civilian deaths are so low is one to be proud.

At least compared to the videos. I thought the body count would be much higher.

 

[HStallion]

All things considered, this is a good number, no disrespect to the heroic firefighters and rescuers deaths, but the fact that the civilian deaths are so low is one to be proud.

Well their lives were certainly messed up as 500 homes were destroyed so some of the scars might not be physical ones on the body.

 

[Stinkles]

Did you know that Texas doesn't mandate FIRE SPRINKLER systems in plants like this? It's considered big government interference.

And zoning permits you to put that right next to a school.

dat rugged individualism.

 

[jmood88]

That's what I feared. I know a lot of people just concluded it was an accident caused by the supposed lack of industry regulations in the state of Texas. They were wrong

It doesn't change anything about the criticisms people had about the lack of regulations and zoning issues.

 

[cr0w]

I hope they catch the bastards responsible. West is my hometown, and a few of the people killed were family friends.

 

[elguero]

That's what I feared. I know a lot of people just concluded it was an accident caused by the supposed lack of industry regulations in the state of Texas. They were wrong

Yeah, I was in this camp. Plant hadn't been inspected by OHSA since 1985.

Pretty shocking to hear that the FBI has conducted over 400 interviews to build leads without this story leaking into the news.

 

[Ekdrm2d1]

Fucked up

 

[NumberTwo]

Ohhhh.....shit.

 

[cr0w]

I have to wonder if that one volunteer firefighter who was later arrested for having pipe bombs and shit in his house had anything to do with it, or would know who did.

 

[Mr. Giggles]

Did you know that Texas doesn't mandate FIRE SPRINKLER systems in plants like this? It's considered big government interference.

And zoning permits you to put that right next to a school.

dat rugged individualism.

Not arguing with you but.... the place exploded if im not mistaken.. would a sprinkler system be enough to prevent that?

Edit:

Ooops, the explosion was a result of a fire.... yea a sprinkler system could've prevented it escalating...

Im dumb...reading, how do?

 

[Barrylocke]

Not arguing with you but.... the place exploded if im not mistaken.. would a sprinkler system be enough to prevent that?

The explosion happened after those first responders were on the scene, so the fire must have burned for awhile before the explosion. Sprinklers could have possibly dampened the fire enough that it didn't reach the substances that lead to the explosion.

 

[MJPIA]

I have to wonder if that one volunteer firefighter who was later arrested for having pipe bombs and shit in his house had anything to do with it, or would know who did.

I think I read a news article that mentioned him but said he was cleared.