West Fertilizer Co., West, TX Explosion-15 Dead, Over 200 Wounded

[MuffyBee]

I'm trying to go back through articles to find information on the 15th person to die in the West explosions.  I remember reading there was an elderly gentlemen who died from a heart attack in the hospital after being rescued from the nursing home. I'll continue to look for the article.
 
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/West-Prepares-To-Bury-Its-Dead-203992381.html
West Explosion Claims 15th Victim
April 21, 2013

WEST (April 22, 2013)—The death toll from the powerful fertilizer plant explosion Wednesday night in West rose to 15 Monday.

A source close to the investigation confirmed that one of the people injured in the explosion died at a hospital, but had no other details.
 ::snipping2::
Videos at Link

[MuffyBee]

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/texas/obama-order-flags-flown-at-half-staff-in-texas
Memorial to honor those who died in blast
President Obama will be on hand
Published April 24, 2013, Updated April 25, 2013

WACO, Texas (KXAN/AP) - President Barack Obama has ordered that the U.S. flag at federal buildings and military facilities in Texas be flown at half-staff Thursday in memory of the victims who died in the fertilizer plant explosion last week in the town of West, Texas.

Obama signed the proclamation Wednesday.

The President will attend a memorial service for the victims on Thursday at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

Organizers are expecting the Ferrell Center to be a packed. Around 4,000 uniformed first responders are expected to be in attendance, and the memorial is open to the public
 ::snipping2::
The service begins at 2 p.m., but the day's events start well before that. At 11 a.m., firefighters and other first responders will march in a processional to the center.

Some 300 fire trucks from across the country will line the route. The march is expected to take two hours.

Doors at the arena will open at 11a.m. and remain open until 1:45 p.m., or until the center reaches capacity. University officials said those attending will go through airport-like security. Cameras and cell phones will be allowed.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/texas/obama-listed-among-speakers-at-service
Obama listed among speakers at service
Massive memorial honors fallen firefighters
April 25, 2013

WEST, Texas (KXAN) - Less than 24 hours after the last wave of residents in West were allowed back into their homes to comb through what was left, preparations for a massive memorial for the 12 firefighters who died in the explosion are under way.
 ::snipping2::
The Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service is set to happen at Baylor University, where the president himself will speak. The 12 firefighters who died battling the fire and explosion will be remembered, beginning at 2 p.m. at the Ferrell Center at 1900 South University Parks Dr.

In addition to President Barack Obama on hand, the speakers on the list include Gov. Rick Perry and top fire officials.

The speakers, in order of appearance:

Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, Executive Director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
Chief Ernest Mitchell, Jr., United States Fire Administrator
Bill Gardner, First Vice President, State Firemen and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas
The Honorable Rick Perry, Governor of Texas
Judge Ken Starr, President of Baylor University
The Honorable John Cornyn (R-TX), Senate Minority Whip for the 113th Congress
Since last Thursday, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the Texas LODD Task Force have been on the ground in Texas offering help and support to the departments, families and friends through the Local Assistance State Team.

Because of the number of deaths, the Foundation expects to be there for a lengthy period of time -- providing peer counseling and support in many other ways. To help those efforts, the NFFF has established a national fund to accept monetary donations to help the survivors and coworkers of the fire and EMS personnel who died in the line of duty.

All donated funds will be used to help the survivors and coworkers to rebuild their lives and support the programs and services they will need.

Checks can be mailed to:
NFFF c/o West, Texas Fire and EMS Fallen Hero Fund
P.O. Drawer 498
Emmitsburg, MD 21727

In addition, donations also can be made by credit card online:

http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1229033

In light of the tragic event in West, Texas on Wednesday and in cooperation with local support efforts, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has established a national fund to accept monetary donations to assist the survivors and coworkers of the fire and EMS personnel who died in the line of duty.

As a result of the blast, the station along with the apparatus, equipment and turn-out gear were destroyed or badly damaged. If you would like to donate these items, please send a message with your contact information to www.firehero.org/contact and the Foundation will share this with the West, Texas department.

(Donate button and more information at link)

[MuffyBee]

Beyond the loss of lives, damage and losses to businesses and homes, there is also the loss of emergency vehicles and gear.
I've been told there were three fire engines and an ambulance lost in the explosion, along with  associated equipment.  These are heavy losses. 

[MuffyBee]

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/state-regional/obama-perry-cornyn-to-speak-at-memorial-for-west-v/nXXXf/
People lining up to attend West memorial
Updated: 11:01 a.m. Thursday, April 25, 2013 | Posted: 8:21 a.m. Thursday, April 25, 2013

Update 11 a.m.: People have been lining up outside Baylor University’s Ferrell Center in Waco for a memorial for victims of last week’s explosion in the town of West.
A procession of uniformed firefighters is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. The service will begin at 2 p.m.
Austin police Chief Art Acevedo said a group of Austin police personnel will attend the service, and he posted a photo on Twitter of the group on Interstate 35.
The American-Statesman will have a live stream of the ceremony beginning at 2:15 p.m.
 ::snipping2::

[MuffyBee]

http://www.kvue.com/news/Photos-Memorial-for-victims-of-West-explosion-204692911.html
Memorial for West explosion victims
April 25, 2013

WACO, Texas -- Thousands will gather Thursday for a memorial to honor victims killed in the West plant explosion.
The service will be held at 2 p.m. at Baylor University in Waco.
 ::snipping2::

KVUE.com will live stream the memorial. Check back for a link.





Credit: Michael Moore, KVUE News
Inside the Ferrell Center at Baylor University for the West memorial.

[MuffyBee]

Credit: Michael Moore, KVUE News

[MuffyBee]

http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/204466091.html
UPDATE: Long, Somber West Memorial Procession Begins
April 25, 2013

WACO (April 25, 2013)—A long, solemn procession of firefighters from around Central Texas, the state and the U.S. was moving slowly toward Baylor University’s Ferrell Center late Thursday morning, where a memorial service will be held Thursday afternoon for West’s fallen first responders.

Thousands of residents lined up early Thursday morning outside the Ferrell Center while the firefighters assembled for the procession honoring the first responders killed in the massive fertilizer plant explosion on April 17.

The first residents arrived at the Ferrell Center at around 4 a.m. Thursday and by mid-morning 1,000 to 2,000 people were lined up outside.

Fire apparatus from nearly 100 departments, meanwhile, was lined up about a half-mile away.
The memorial service begins at 2 p.m. Thursday.

At 11 a.m. the firefighters started the procession from a staging area on University Parks Drive south of LaSalle Avenue to the center.
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, along with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, will attend and the president and Perry are scheduled to speak.

Other speakers include Baylor University President Ken Starr and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

After the families and all first responders are seated, the doors will open to the public on a first come, first served basis, Fogelman said.

The doors will close at 1:45 p.m. or when the Ferrell Center reaches capacity, she said.
 ::snipping2::
The service was organized by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and Texas Line of Duty Death Task Force to remember the firefighters and first responders who died in last week’s tragic explosion in West.

Photos at Link

[MuffyBee]

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/state-regional/obama-perry-cornyn-to-speak-at-memorial-for-west-v/nXXXf/
People continue to make their way into West memorial
April 25, 2013


Update 12:45 p.m.: About half of Baylor University’s Ferrell Center is full as people make their way in for a memorial for victims of last week’s West Explosion.
The the floor section is reserved for family members, and other sections are being held for honor guard members, firefighters and other retired fire and police chiefs.
A line of 12 caskets is right in front of the stage, and in front of each casket is a photo of each victim on an easel, with a uniformed person standing in front.
An overhead screen behind the stage is showing a live feed of the people entering the center, including about two dozen Austin firefighters who just passed by.
Update 12:15 p.m.:Roy Martz, Albert Taylor and Daniel Underwood of the Bridgeport Volunteer Fire Department north of Fort Worth were among the thousands of people who have come to Waco to honor the victims of the West explosion, many of whom were firefighters.
“Pride, brotherhood and loyalty drove us to be here,” Martz said. “Firefighters are committed to one another in good times and in bad,”
A stream of fire trucks and other emergency vehicles, all with their lights on, continues to make its way past Baylor’s Ferrell Center for Thursday’s memorial, including from Austin and Travis County.
A crowd that is lining nearby streets gave a large round of applause to Engine 5 from the West Fire Department as it passed.
Many others, including uniformed firefighters, are making their way into the arena.
Firefighters from nearby towns such as Whitney, Aquilla and Hillsboro are part of the line. Others have traveled from as far away as South Padre Island, Bryan and Bogota in the northeast part of the state.
The memorial, which will include speeches from President Barack Obama and Gov. Rick Perry, is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
More...

Slide show with 43 images. (some available for purchase)


Jeremy Schwartz / American-Statesman
Austin firefighters join procession at West memorial.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wfaa.com/news/texas-news/Thousands-of-firefighters-Obamas-in-Waco-for-West-explosion-memorial--204709291.html
Thousands of firefighters in Waco for West explosion memorial
Posted on April 25, 2013 at 12:42 PM
Updated today at 1:44 PM


Credit: Teresa Woodard / WFAA
At the memorial for the victims of the West, Texas explosion in Waco, a firefighter salutes as a representative from Dallas Fire-Rescue carries a helmet to honor fallen colleague Kenny Harris, who died in the blast.

WACO –– Thousands of firefighters from as far away as Calgary, Canada are in Waco Thursday for the memorial for victims of last week's deadly explosion in the town of West.
"It's a brotherhood," said Capt. Dan Frederick of the Calgary Fire Department.
Twelve first responders were killed on April 17 when the West Fertilizer Co. plant exploded. The blast, which was strong enough to register as a 2.1 magnitude earthquake, left a crater 93 feet wide and 10 feet deep in its wake.
 ::snipping2::
Kenny "Lucky" Harris, a Dallas Fire Rescue captain who was volunteering to help battle the blaze in West, was buried on Wednesday.
On Thursday, a procession with thousands of firefighters and hundreds of engines and ambulances departed from West and arrived in Waco at about noon. Firefighters exited their vehicles and marched into the Ferrell Center at Baylor University, where a memorial will be held for the fallen.  Almost 250 different fire departments sent an apparatus to the procession.
That memorial begins at 2 p.m.
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are on their way to the service after attending the dedication for the George W. Bush Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University, the 43rd president's honorary library and museum.

[MuffyBee]

I've been watching live stream at http://www.myfoxdfw.com/category/234333/live

[MuffyBee]

I've been watching live stream at http://www.myfoxdfw.com/category/234333/live

Signal 5-5-5-5
 

[MuffyBee]

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/state-regional/obama-perry-cornyn-to-speak-at-memorial-for-west-v/nXXXf/
Obama: ‘You are not alone, you are not forgotten’
April 25, 2013

Update 4:30 p.m.: President Barack Obama offered the people of West and the families of the first-responders who died on April 17 “the love and support and prayers of the nation” during a speech at a memorial in Waco on Thursday.
The 12 included volunteer firefighters, students finishing an EMT training class and people from the town of West seeking to help.
“You are not alone, you are not forgotten,” Obama said in his speech. “We may not all live here in Texas, but we’re neighbors, too. We’re Americans, too, and we stand with you and we do not forget. And we’ll be there after the cameras leave.”
The memorial service at Baylor University’s Ferrell Center drew thousands of firefighters from across the state as well as hundreds of West residents and families of the fallen.
The coffins of the 12 men were placed in front of the stage and draped with American and Texas flags.
Throughout the service, videos played of family members and friends remembering the men.
“He loved his community and the people in the community and he would have done anything to help them,” said Carmen, the wife of Morris Bridges.
In his 20-minute speech Obama also spoke of the bombings in Boston and of the flooded areas of the Mississippi River.
“While the eyes of the world may have been fixed on places far way, our hearts have also been here,” he said. “Your country will remain ever ready to help you recover and rebuild and reclaim your community.”
Obama said that it was fair to say that most people outside of Texas had never heard of West before the explosion, “and I suspect that’s the way most people in West like it.”
But he also said Americans and many around the world have come to know of West.
“George and Laura Bush spoke lovingly of the kolaches and even better company as they drove through West,” said Obama, who had attended a dedication ceremony for the George W. Bush presidential library and museum on the Southern Methodist University in Dallas earlier.
Obama praised the strength and sacrifice of the men who died, but he also recalled the people who helped in the aftermath of the blast, including hospital staff, people who helped evacuate a nursing home near the blast site and others who came from miles around to help.
“Instead of changing who you are, this tragedy has simply revealed who you’ve always been,” Obama said. “All across America, people are praying for you and thinking of you. And when they see the faces of these families, they understand that these are not strangers, these are neighbors, and that’s why we know we will get through this.”

Update 3:20 p.m.: Speakers at a memorial service Thursday for 12 first-responders who died in an explosion in West last week spoke of the sacrifices the men made as well as their strength and that of the community they served.
“First-responders know better than anyone there’s no such thing as a routine emergency. The firefighters and medical technicians who died last week in West certainly knew that, but it didn’t slow them down,” Gov. Rick Perry told the crowd of several thousand people.
Perry said the common thread between the men who died was their love of community and sense of self and strength.
“Know that the spirit that drove those men that we love, they live on, and that spirit lives on in their fellow volunteers and the families and friends they left behind,” Perry said. “We will never forget what happened here nor forget the sacrifices of those that first responded.”
Chief Ernest Mitchell, the United States Fire Administrator, called out the names of all 12 men, who he said “made the ultimate sacrifice while keeping others safe.”
Mitchell addressed the people who attended the service, the family members of those who died and the firefighters and other first-responders who attended the service.
“As loved ones you understood and supported their dedication and desire to serve this community. As firefighters you continue to serve in their honor, and as a nation we are eternally grateful,” Mitchell said.
Bill Gardner, the first vice president of the State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association, talked about the many reasons people become first-responders, including a need to serve their communities or because a family member or neighbor was a firefighter or EMT.
“When you get in there’s a reason you stay,” Gardner said. “That reason to stay is you get to be a part of something that’s bigger than yourself, bigger than one man, and more importantly you get a chance to live your life to the fullest.”
President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak later in the ceremony.
On Thursday morning, Obama attended a dedication ceremony for the George W. Bush presidential library and museum on the Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Obama traveled to Waco by helicopter, a trip that included a flyover of West.
“The president’s helicopter passed over the site of the fertilizer plant, circling it a few times to view the flattened structures and scarred earth where the explosions occurred,” according to a statement from the White House.
Not many people were in the the Pizza House of West during the ceremony, but Manager Chum Hancock said the restaurant stayed open so people can have a place to eat.
Three employees and a diner gathered around a big screen and watched as the pictures and names of the firefighters were shown on a TV. One waitress audibly gasped as a photo was shown, recognizing him as a patron.
Hancock said a lot of the firefighters ate there regularly.
The restaurant has received numerous calls from people who order pizzas for “whoever needs them”, including a man from Kansas City who gave a dollar amount and said to make as many as they could for the West Fire Department, Hancock said.
A Dallas Fire station called and did the same, Hancock said. If the fire department doesn’t need all the pizzas sent, they are redirected to another place, she said.
More...

[MuffyBee]

It appears the hate group (I won't name them & give them press) didn't show up today to picket/protest the firefighters funerals at the West Explosion Memorial  as they had threatened to.   

[MuffyBee]

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/state-regional/victims-of-the-west-fertilizer-plant-explosion/nXYLM/
Victims of the West fertilizer plant explosion
April 25, 2013

Waco — Victims of the April 17 West fertilizer plant explosion:

KEVIN WILLIAMS SANDERS: Teacher, Superman fan
Sanders, 33, was known for his love of all things related to Superman. He and his wife, Sarah, named their son Reeve after actor Christopher Reeve, who played the superhero. He taught veterinary technician training at McLennan Community College. Sanders was a volunteer firefighter with the Bruceville-Eddy Volunteer Fire Department and was taking an EMS class in West.

MORRIS BRIDGES JR.: Father, motorcyclist
Bridges, 41, had been with West’s volunteer fire department for three years. His wife says his last words as he left home were to his infant son, saying he loved him and would be “right back.” Bridges grew up in Dallas but lived in West. He loved to ride motorcycles and go fishing and camping.

WILLIAM “BUCK” UPTMOR: Fence-builder, musician, rodeo devotee
Uptmor, 45, owned a fence-building business, and his company built the local cemetery’s fence, said a friend. Uptmor was the drummer for Billy Uptmor and the Makers. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, coaching Little League and supporting his daughter in barrel racing. He trained and jockeyed racehorses and rode bulls and broncos.

JOEY PUSTEJOVSKY: A caring, devout man
Pustejovsky, 29, a volunteer firefighter, had been West town secretary since 2009 and worked as a personal property appraiser for McLennan County Appraisal District. He started the youth ministry at St. Mary’s Catholic Church of The Assumption and was the director for two years of the Catholic Brothers and Sisters United Youth Ministry.

PERRY CALVIN: Father, husband, firefighter
Calvin, 37, was a husband and father of two boys ages 9 and 2. He and his wife were expecting their third child. He was a volunteer firefighter at the Navarro Mills and Martens fire departments and was attending EMS classes in West. He was a self-employed farmer and loved the outdoors.

JIMMY MATUS: Fire truck-builder and operator
Matus, 52, was the sales manager at Westex Welding & Fire Apparatus, which builds fire trucks. He graduated from West High School in 1979. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church of the Assumption and served on the West school board and played Santa Claus for local organizations.

KENNETH HARRIS: Dallas fire fighter
Harris, 52, a Dallas fire department captain, was off duty but rushed to help. Harris graduated from the Dallas Fire Academy in 1982 and served as a firefighter with the Dallas Fire Department for more than 31 years. He loved offshore fishing with his sons and spending time on his boat, the “Boots Up.”

DOUGLAS SNOKHOUS: Firefighter, father, hunter
Snokhous, 50, a firefighter with the West Fire Department for more than 15 years, died along with his brother. Snokhous was a shop supervisor at Central Texas Iron Works in Waco, where he had worked for the past 29 years. He loved Westfest and the West Rodeo. He liked to fish and hunt deer and quail.

ROBERT SNOKHOUS: Firefighter, father
Snokhous, 48, died with his brother responding to an emergency in their community. He worked for almost 20 years at Central Texas Iron Works in Waco, where he was project manager. He loved hunting and the West Volunteer Fire Department outdoor cook-offs.

CODY DRAGOO: Firefighter, NASCAR fan, family man
Dragoo, 50, a member of the West Volunteer Fire Department, also worked at the fertilizer plant. Dragoo was born in Billings, Mont., and graduated from Montana State University with a degree in agriculture. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, cooking, watching NASCAR and being with his family and friends.

JUDITH ANN MONROE: Grandmother, puzzle solver
Monroe, 65, moved to West in 2001 from South Texas where she had lived most of her life. She enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. Monroe, 65, loved reading, solving word puzzles and playing board games.
The list continues....

[MuffyBee]

I've been by this place so many times over the years. Besides having good kolaches & clean restrooms, they really are good people, imo.  I couldn't help but smile when President Obama mentioned it at the Memorial.

http://www.khou.com/news/texas-news/Czech-Stop-helps-West-community-recover-from-plant-explosion-204939531.html
Czech Stop helps West community recover from plant explosion
April 26, 2013

Video at Link

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wfaa.com/news/texas-news/Federal-regulations-emergency-protocols-not-followed-in-West-204932411.html
Federal regulations, emergency protocols not followed in West
Posted April 26, 2013, Updated April 27, 2013


WEST, Texas  –– McLennan County officials did not follow federal regulations requiring public officials to plan for a major chemical incident such as last week's deadly fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, a News 8 investigation has found.
The finding raises serious questions regarding the decision to send first responders into a potentially explosive situation.
As a community still grieves the 15 killed in the West Fertilizer Co. explosion, some are questioning the planning that, according to federal law, was required to have taken place under the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act.
Each business is required to report its hazardous chemicals to its county. West Fertilizer Co. had, in fact reported its ammonium nitrate to McLennan County. Next, officials are required to set up what's called a Local Emergency Planning Committee.
The LEPC's job, is to "develop an emergency response plan, review it at least annually, and provide information about chemicals in the community to the citizens," the act reads.
"We usually meet once or twice a year," said Steve Howie, the Emergency Management Coordinator of Kaufman County.
Howie heads the Kaufman County LEPC and said he is familiar with the dangers of ammonium nitrate. A fertilizer storage company similar to the one in West is located near downtown Terrell. He says emergency responders in his community are well aware that a fire in the fertilizer storage building means one thing.
"If it's in the building housing 50,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate we are going to evacuate the area and back off," said Howie.
As of Dec. 31, 2012, there were 540,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate at the West Fertilizer Co., federal records show.
In July 2009, Bryan city and fire department officials ordered the evacuation of almost the entire town after a building full of ammonium nitrate caught fire.
The fire chief knew that putting water on the fire could make it worse "and in some cases it can intensify to the point of exploding."  
Richard Brown is a former Kaufman County volunteer fire chief. He says news of the fire responders’ death in West has sickened him.
"It should not have happened,” said Brown. “Those men should not have been where they were."
Brown says county and fire officials should have planned for the worst and any fire that involves ammonium nitrate should mean evacuation.

“They needed to inform their men of the hazards,” said Brown. “They needed to formulate a written response plan to those types of hazards."
The federally mandated body of community leaders designed to plan for such hazards did not exist in McLennan County. The official listed as the head of the McLennan County LEPC is County Judge Scott Felton. Felton, appointed to the post last year, told News 8 in an interview that he's never heard of the LEPC.
McLennan County Emergency Operations Coordinator Frank Patterson said he has no knowledge of an emergency planning committee or any meetings with officials in West about potential risks in the community.
After requesting any evidence of LEPC operations, meetings, plans of actions or plans for evacuations, especially with respect to hazards posed at the fertilizer company in West, Patterson's office said no such information exists.
 ::snipping2::
 The State Fire Marshal's Office on Friday released a statement saying no actions taken by the firefighters in any way contributed to the explosion.

Video at Link

[MuffyBee]

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/22094142/answering-the-call
Answering the Call: Ponder volunteer firefighters
April 27, 2013

Ponder, TX -
The West explosion devastated small town firefighter department volunteers across the state, who easily related to the victims and their families.

About 70 percent of firefighters in Texas aren't paid. Ponder, in Denton County, depends on its volunteer fire departments.

Eric Felderhoff is a Ponder volunteer firefighter, who makes a living as a construction engineer. His wife and one-year-old daughter are close to his heart when he thinks of the tragedy in West.

"Makes you have a much deeper appreciation for the things that we face," Felderhoff said, "but also makes you think when the pager goes off that you need to stop and tell your loved ones that you love them before you go."
 ::snipping2::
Many volunteers not only put their lives in danger to help others - they're also the reason these departments stay alive.

"I've seen volunteers pull money out of their pockets to put gas in trucks or diesel in trucks," Chief Charlie Williams, Ponder Volunteer Fire Department, said.

Grant money and other funding helps buy equipment and other essentials. Unfortunately, relying on state money is never a sure thing. Local fundraisers are how many volunteer fire departments keep going.

But the need is more clear than ever after the West fertilizer plant explosion. It's shown these local volunteer firefighters how high the stakes can be, as well as the importance of their sacrifice.

"It's tragic. It's a great tragedy," Aaron Watson, Ponder volunteer firefighter, said. "But through that it has shown just how big of a brotherhood this really is."

Video at the Link

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wfaa.com/news/texas-news/Ten-days-later-West-blast-victims-return-to-devastation-zone-204998111.html?gallery=y&img=1&c=y
Ten days later, West blast victims return to devastation zone
April 27, 2013


West explosion zones Credit: WFAA
This aerial map of West, Texas shows the location of the fertilizer plant that exploded (red circle), the homes that were destroyed (red dots) and the properties that were damaged (yellow dots).

WEST, Texas — Residents of the hardest-hit explosion zone in West, Texas were permitted to return to what's left of their homes on Saturday morning.
Residents started lining up at 7 a.m., but were only being allowed get their belongings. They must leave Zone 3 by 7 p.m.
Mayor Tommy Muska told News 8 that residents of Zone 3 must register at the library before they can gain access. We're being told those residents were being escorted into the zone.
More...

[MuffyBee]

http://www.khou.com/news/texas-news/Lawsuits-from-fertilizer-plant-blast-now-total-6-205011931.html
Lawsuits from fertilizer plant blast now total 6
April 27, 2013