Dallas News by Brandon Formby 22 April 2013 at 04:24 (BST)
State and federal investigators on Sunday began their first in-depth look at the cratered epicenter of a fertilizer plant explosion that killed at least 14 people, including about 10 volunteer firefighters and the residents who tried to help them extinguish a fire at the site.
Investigators said their priority is to piece together how firefighters responded, what tactics they used to fight the fire and where the men were when they died. They want to determine what started the fire, what triggered the blast and what chemicals were kept at the plant.
“That’s what we’re going to be doing today, for the next couple days, is getting in the hole and start digging that out and see what transpired to cause this devastation in this area,” said Robert Champion.
The special agent-in-charge for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was among scores of state and federal officials scouring the site. Among other things, they’ll try to determine what chemicals were stored at the site.
“We’re optimistic that we’ll be able to,” said Assistant Texas Fire Marshal Kelly Kistner, whose agency is leading the investigation into the firefighters’ deaths.
The West Fertilizer Co. and Adair Grain were storing at least 540,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate, an extremely combustible compound, as recently as last year, according to state records. Ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer, is also used in explosives for mining, road-building and other commercial uses.
Investigators declined to say where the blast occurred among the 11 buildings on the 10-acre West Fertilizer site. Officials also declined to provide the dimensions of the crater.
“I can’t get into any specifics on this,” Champion said.
It was unclear Sunday whether the West Volunteer Fire Department’s 33 members knew what chemicals were inside the building. Five of the department’s members died in the blast. Others who were fighting the fire included an off-duty Dallas Fire-Rescue firefighter, members of departments from nearby cities and civilians who tried to help.
“The easiest way to describe it is to think of a wave going out,” said Kistner.
Mangled and melted
Four mangled metal structures at the plant could be seen sticking up from behind a berm where a Union Pacific rail line runs north through town. The berm obstructed a view of the entire site, including the crater.
Union Pacific crews could be seen fixing damaged railroad tracks that have kept trains from moving north and south since Wednesday night. The blast was so hot that it pushed one rail into the other and welded them together.
State and federal investigators on Sunday began their first in-depth look at the cratered epicenter of a fertilizer plant explosion that killed at least 14 people, including about 10 volunteer firefighters and the residents who tried to help them extinguish a fire at the site.
Investigators said their priority is to piece together how firefighters responded, what tactics they used to fight the fire and where the men were when they died. They want to determine what started the fire, what triggered the blast and what chemicals were kept at the plant.
“That’s what we’re going to be doing today, for the next couple days, is getting in the hole and start digging that out and see what transpired to cause this devastation in this area,” said Robert Champion.
The special agent-in-charge for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was among scores of state and federal officials scouring the site. Among other things, they’ll try to determine what chemicals were stored at the site.
“We’re optimistic that we’ll be able to,” said Assistant Texas Fire Marshal Kelly Kistner, whose agency is leading the investigation into the firefighters’ deaths.
The West Fertilizer Co. and Adair Grain were storing at least 540,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate, an extremely combustible compound, as recently as last year, according to state records. Ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer, is also used in explosives for mining, road-building and other commercial uses.
Investigators declined to say where the blast occurred among the 11 buildings on the 10-acre West Fertilizer site. Officials also declined to provide the dimensions of the crater.
“I can’t get into any specifics on this,” Champion said.
It was unclear Sunday whether the West Volunteer Fire Department’s 33 members knew what chemicals were inside the building. Five of the department’s members died in the blast. Others who were fighting the fire included an off-duty Dallas Fire-Rescue firefighter, members of departments from nearby cities and civilians who tried to help.
Damaging shockwaveThe explosion set off a shockwave that shook the town, damaging buildings in about a 37-block area.
“The easiest way to describe it is to think of a wave going out,” said Kistner.
Mangled and melted
Four mangled metal structures at the plant could be seen sticking up from behind a berm where a Union Pacific rail line runs north through town. The berm obstructed a view of the entire site, including the crater.
Union Pacific crews could be seen fixing damaged railroad tracks that have kept trains from moving north and south since Wednesday night. The blast was so hot that it pushed one rail into the other and welded them together.
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