Mayor: 35 killed in Texas fertilizer blast

[cali]

Around 35 people, including 10 first responders, were killed in the Texas fertilizer company explosion Wednesday evening, West Mayor Tommy Muska said in an interview with USA TODAY.

Those killed include five members of the West Volunteer Fire Department who were trying to put out the initial blaze, four EMS workers and an off-duty Dallas firefighter who pitched in to help, he said. Not all the bodies have been recovered but all are assumed dead, he said.

<snip>

Two volunteers who showed up to help fight the blaze are also missing and presumed dead, he said.

The rest of the fatalities include residents from nearby homes in the devastated four-block area of this north-central Texas town 80 miles south of Dallas, the mayor added.

<snip>

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/18/waco-texas-plant-explosion/2092769/

[Brickbat]

1. The town I live closest to is about the size of West. I can't imagine 35 people being wiped out

in an accident, including 10 first responders. We have an outstanding VFD. What a fucking waste.

[HangOnKids]

2. What A Mess

The destruction was horrific, such a sad loss of life.

[Cooley Hurd]

3. I posted the same thing seconds after you did - I self deleted...

What a horrible toll. Better than the 60 CBS News was reporting last night, but much more than the 5-15 deaths that was reported today.

[ProSense]

4. The tragic consequences of free-market zealotry.

My heart goes out to the victims and loved ones.

[malaise]

5. Too sad

What an awful way to die

[maddezmom]

6. So sad

[Ilsa]

7. OMG! Rick Perry let 35 people get killed?

He looked nervous on tv. I think he might be realizing his part in creating this catastrophe. Children will grow up without fathers because of this ass.

[Rex]

18. He knows how much he has been involved in deregulation

and that people here have long memories.

[SoCalDem]

21. and it wasn't even in Benghazi

I wonder if Dem leadership will demand comprehensive hearings into why Republican leadership could allow such a dangerous facility so close to innocents..

[Ilsa]

25. Or allow it to remain in operation.

Employees should be protected, too.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

8. Their poor families.

I didn't expect it to be this many fatalities. I'm sure I'm not the only one who was expecting a much lower number.

[HangOnKids]

10. I Think The Death Toll Will Rise, Sadly This Reminds Me Of San Bruno CA

I lost a co-worker in that PG&E gas explosion.

[sheshe2]

9. Such an incredibly sad story.

Hugs to Texas and the poor souls that they lost.

[Liberal_in_LA]

11. horrible.

[Cali_Democrat]

12. That's what happens when you slash regulations for businesses sliding cash into your coat pocket.

And Perry's punk ass had the nerve to brag about the lack of regulations in his state.

What a doosh.

He's got blood on his hands.

[denverbill]

13. Holy crap. That's awful. I had no idea there were going to be that many fatalities.

When I first heard about this last night it didn't sound like they knew of any fatalities.

[cali]

14. I was afraid there would be more. the devastation was so complete in the area adjacent to the

facility.

[SoCalDem]

23. I thought it would be higher (and it may end up being so)

There are probably people who are still unaccounted for

[deutsey]

15. Damn...I was thinking 15 was too low in terms of the destruction

I was also really hoping I was wrong.

[pinboy3niner]

16. We think of accidents as indiscrinminate--but 1st responders often pay, in spades

My thoughts are with the families of the victims, including the first responders lost in this tragedy.

[panader0]

17. Sadly, I'm betting this number wil rise.

Very sad.

[shireen]

19. how did this happen?

Has there been any information about it? I've got so many questions. How did the fire start? How did it travel so quickly to the building housing ammonium nitrate? Were the volunteer firefighters trained to deal with fighting a fire near a huge pile of ammonium nitrate? It really bothers me that they were there fighting a fire in the first place. The company should have evacuated them and everyone within a several block radius immediately.

[seabeyond]

20. a woman we know, her brother was a firefighter and told to go evacuate the apartment buildings.

he lived.

it is all so so so sad.

[pinboy3niner]

22. Very sad and tragic

Good to hear that he lived, but I hope he isn't traumatized by his experience.

[KoKo]

24. Meanwhile..in another part of the USA..others are Suffering...

Much as we here dislike Texas..home of the RW and Bushies...there are folks who are devasted there.

We should not forget them. They didn't expect this anymore than the Boston Marathon Runners and Boston did.

These are folks who live in very rural area whose little "town" if you can call it a town..SPRUNG UP so the workers could live close to their place of Employment. Sort of like the "Mill Towns" that were in USA before we shipped the Mill jobs to China.

So these people should have some compassion here on DU even if they are Texans..they are the Poor Workers who are devastated.

All of America is hit with some kind of Devastation these days...

SHARE THE COMPASSION and I hope that President Obama will make a vist there to console those who have also lost Firefighters, the folks who lived in those 70 Houses and the Burn Victims who will also live with the incredible injuries and loss of their bodily functions due to this Explosion where the Fertilizer Factory...was their employment and that the Factory had been SITED BEFORE FOR VIOLATION.

Please let President Obama wake up to more Regulation on our Factories where honest Citizens WORK...trying to feed their Families. They are "no less" than those who are suffering in Boston.

IT IS ALL OF US....dealing with this SHIT...from Climate Change/Fracking and DEREGULATION EVERYWHERE!