911 calls capture terror of Texas plant explosion

[uppityperson]

Reading about the explosion, it is incredible.


http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2020836683_apusplantexplosion911calls.html

One woman who glanced outside and saw the mushroom cloud that erupted from the blast could be heard shouting: "Get out of the house. Get out," to those around her. "There's a freaking cloud. Look at that!" An off-duty firefighter concerned about the air called a second time to say he was leaving with his family. A man wearing an ankle monitor told a dispatcher as he drove that he was fleeing the chemicals.
(clip)
Something happened out here," a crying 83-year-old woman tells the operator, her voice quavering. "Our house exploded or something. There was a big explosion and then our house is just destroyed. "We're all ok, but my God, what has happened?" she said. "I'm scared to death.
(clip)
Listen to me, my ambulance station just completely exploded," a West EMS supervisor can be heard saying on one call. "I've got a nursing home and an ambulance station and an air evac. I need as many ... trucks as you can send this way."
(clip)
An EMT training class was in the building that evening. The trainees already had passed their practical exam, so they left the class to go help, said Dr. George Smith, West EMS's medical director. Four of the 18 in that class died. "Every one of them were friends of mine," Smith said......

[malaise]

1. I heard some of them

Frightening

[snappyturtle]

2. Just as terrorizing as a 'real' terrorist attack.

To me this blatant disregard for regulations is every
bit as terrifying (& deadly) to the victims as the intentional
attack in Boston was to the victims there. The worst part
is, as evidenced by this article, that the citizenery of
West,TX had little in rescue resources to draw upon in
contrast to Boston.

What gets me is that we still don't see the media interest
in this story even after Boston.

[uppityperson]

3. Indeed. Indeed and indeed.

I never understand people saying "at least it wasn't terrorism" with relief like planes falling out of the air or plants blowing up because someone was an idiot or did something wrong is better.

[snappyturtle]

4. Thank you.. Well said. Actually, we don't know it wasn't

'terrorism'. If the fire was intentionally set we could have
a Oklahoma City type event in West, TX.