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CNN reported that at least two people had been killed, but that figure could not be independently confirmed.
Wilson said 50 to 75 homes were damaged by the explosion and a fire that followed, and that a nearby 50-unit apartment complex had been reduced to "a skeleton standing up." Muska put the number of destroyed homes at between 60 and 80.
I cannot help but wonder what kind of planning took place to put people's homes and a nursing home within range of a disaster in this factory?
Were the homes there first?
If yes, then why was the factory built there?
If the factory was there first, then why allow homes to be built near it?
See?
This is why the theory that its all about rights of the individual truly aren't well thought out.
Hundreds believed injured in Texas fertilizer plant blast | Reuters
(Reuters) - Hundreds of people were likely injured in a fiery explosion on Wednesday night at a fertilizer plant near Waco, Texas, that damaged or destroyed numerous buildings including a school and nursing home, authorities said.
The blast was reported at about 8 p.m. CDT (0100 GMT on Thursday) in West, a town of some 2,700 people about 80 miles south of Dallas and 20 miles north of Waco.
"It's a lot of devastation. I've never seen anything like this," said McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara. "It looks like a war zone with all the debris."
I cannot help but wonder what kind of planning took place to put people's homes and a nursing home within range of a disaster in this factory?CNN reported that at least two people had been killed, but that figure could not be independently confirmed.
Wilson said 50 to 75 homes were damaged by the explosion and a fire that followed, and that a nearby 50-unit apartment complex had been reduced to "a skeleton standing up." Muska put the number of destroyed homes at between 60 and 80.
Were the homes there first?
If yes, then why was the factory built there?
If the factory was there first, then why allow homes to be built near it?
See?
This is why the theory that its all about rights of the individual truly aren't well thought out.
Good grief, now we'll have to ban fertilizer and rely totally on genetic tampering to get big green beans.
Not really. BUt it would be nice if we funded the agencies that were responsible for regulating places like this adequately.
Chemical industry watchdog falls years behind on safety reports for deadly accidents - Open Channel
My home town just defeated Conoco Phillips plans to put a 22,000,000 gallon LNG plant in the heart of our little village.
The EPA in its totally FINITE wisdom was fine with placing it there.
Had that plant gone up in a catastropic failing?
It's LNG had about 6 times the explosive capacity as the bomb at hiroshima.
It would have devasted our entire town and caused a firestorm disaster miles and miles away from the site because it would have set huge wooded forests aflame almost instantaneously if the disaster happened in just the wrong way. .
Don't EVER count on the EPA to protect you from inappropriate industrial development
They EPA is a political animal and needs to be GOADED politically to do the right thing.
That is exactly what I was thinking, Gracie. No news is good news though. It sounds as if it was a terrible accident at this point. It is very scary that these two explosions happened so close to each other. My prayers to the families. This is a real nightmare.
Right. Just incredible stupidity allowing construction of any human habitat near THAT much potential for explosion. If the fertilizer plant was there first the people that built the apartments and the officials that allowed it should be arrested and convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.
Also... the fire department officials allowing thier people to go INTO this bomb waiting to go off to put out a fire was beyond stupid...and criminal. ALL they should have been concerned with is evacuation for the dumb asses that were living near(half a mile) the initial fire knowing that fertilizer will eventually expolde. That was no secret to the fire department and probably several officials.
Right. Just incredible stupidity allowing construction of any human habitat near THAT much potential for explosion. If the fertilizer plant was there first the people that built the apartments and the officials that allowed it should be arrested and convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.
Also... the fire department officials allowing thier people to go INTO this bomb waiting to go off to put out a fire was beyond stupid...and criminal. ALL they should have been concerned with is evacuation for the dumb asses that were living near(half a mile) the initial fire knowing that fertilizer will eventually expolde. That was no secret to the fire department and probably several officials.
goes the same apply to officials that allow folks to build in known hurricane zones
That's a bit of a stretch. I will allow that construction in a hurricane zone should be of the nature of taking into account potential and likely wind and tide surge. It is also not THAT hard to evacuate from most hurricaine scenerios. Evacuation from a BOMB is not possible. I am surprised that the fertilizer factory/plant didn't explode earlier in the fire. Any chemical engineer could have calculated the potential for disaster with that much bomb fuel available. X amount of fertilizer will blow the shit out of anything within an X radius. Not rocket surgery.
That's a bit of a stretch. I will allow that construction in a hurricane zone should be of the nature of taking into account potential and likely wind and tide surge. It is also not THAT hard to evacuate from most hurricaine scenerios. Evacuation from a BOMB is not possible. I am surprised that the fertilizer factory/plant didn't explode earlier in the fire. Any chemical engineer could have calculated the potential for disaster with that much bomb fuel available. X amount of fertilizer will blow the shit out of anything within an X radius. Not rocket surgery.
out here we have been trying to get a refinery up and running
the epa has put its blessing on it
but it keeps running into court battles
with the enviros
latest is the enviros are hoping to run the clock out
on the air quality permit by pushing for a chemical plant
if a chemical plant gets up and running first
it will use up the area needed to fall into air quality standards
Not every area is suitable for a refinery. As has been demonstrated by this explosion in West Texas one must consider ALL of the potential for possible/likely air quality standards if there is a disaster at the refinery. Think of it like this.. How much gasoline and dangerous chemicals should your neighbor be allowed to store in his garage? Oh..and he will be welding every day and there are flames allowed to burn constantly in his garage also ...so just incase there is a spill of some fuel and a fire his garage WILL blow up.
That is not to suggest that there are not plenty of places that a refinery could not be built. Just not near human habitat thank you. OR buy all the land where folks live and would be at risk.
That is exactly what I was thinking, Gracie. No news is good news though. It sounds as if it was a terrible accident at this point. It is very scary that these two explosions happened so close to each other. My prayers to the families. This is a real nightmare.
Right. Just incredible stupidity allowing construction of any human habitat near THAT much potential for explosion. If the fertilizer plant was there first the people that built the apartments and the officials that allowed it should be arrested and convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.
Also... the fire department officials allowing thier people to go INTO this bomb waiting to go off to put out a fire was beyond stupid...and criminal. ALL they should have been concerned with is evacuation for the dumb asses that were living near(half a mile) the initial fire knowing that fertilizer will eventually expolde. That was no secret to the fire department and probably several officials.
They shouldn't go in and try to prevent an explosion that is not inevitable?
No wonder people think I am crazy, they live in a world where it makes sense to let disasters happen.
Okay. I know firefighters are trained very thoroughly. I did wonder why they would not have known the water would set off such a reaction. Still I am disturbed over their having built those homes and businesses, apts so close to that plant. The people who built the plant knew the danger I'm sure. Somewhere along the way money must have exchanged hands for someone to look the other way. Texas is a good ole boy state. Know the right people and anything can be done for you. When these companies build dangerous plants producing chemicals, contamination of water supply, etc. they should be held accountable. Even in the story of Erin Brogavich the company responsible was so powerful and wealthy - no one was held accountable - no one was every brought to trial and put in prison over it. There was a civil suit that payed off the people but no justice. This should not be. It isn't right. - Jeremiah
