Why are they preventing the media and the residents of that West Texas town

[malaise]

from viewing the devastation or returning to see what happened to their homes.

Why have they chased away the media helicopters?

WTF is going on??

[Buzz Clik]

1. They are disappointed with the level of conspiracy theories.

They are giving us more time to develop better tin-foil-hat worthy fantasies.

[dems_rightnow]

11. LOL

Perfect.

[appleannie1]

2. Why did they even have that much ammonium nitrate in the first place? Since the state knew

they had more than they should have, why didn't the state report it to the Dept. of Homeland Security as required by law? Why were they allowed to have a fertilizer plant next to 2 schools? There are a lot more questions than answers.

[hobbit709]

4. That's prime farming country, lots of cotton grown there. About a season's worth of fertilizer.

[malaise]

8. It's worse than that-Texas plant had 1,350 times amount of chemical that would trigger oversight

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/20/17838304-red-flag-texas-plant-had-1350-times-amount-of-chemical-that-would-trigger-oversight?lite
<snip>

The fertilizer plant that exploded on Wednesday, obliterating part of a small Texas town and killing at least 14 people, had last year been storing 1,350 times the amount of ammonium nitrate that would normally trigger safety oversight by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Yet a person familiar with DHS operations said the company that owns the plant, West Fertilizer, did not tell the agency about the potentially explosive fertilizer as it is required to do, leaving one of the principal regulators of ammonium nitrate - which can also be used in bomb making - unaware of any danger there.

Fertilizer plants and depots must report to the DHS when they hold 400 pounds or more of the substance. Filings this year with the Texas Department of State Health Services, which weren't shared with DHS, show the plant had 270 tons of it on hand last year.

A U.S. congressman and several safety experts called into question on Friday whether incomplete disclosure or regulatory gridlock may have contributed to the disaster.

"It seems this manufacturer was willfully off the grid," Rep. Bennie Thompson, (D-MS), ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said in a statement. "This facility was known to have chemicals well above the threshold amount to be regulated under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Act (CFATS), yet we understand that DHS did not even know the plant existed until it blew up."

-----------------
This terrorist should be arrested

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. they are doing a massive search through damaged homes

and having media hordes around will really interfer with that.
Last night on the Boston police scanner, it was clear that media people were getting in the way of approaching the bomber, and in way of possible cross fire, not to mention any possible bombs.

Here is what the Texas town looks like in daylight..obviously some media was able to shoot the pic:

[Rex]

10. Holyshit.

This is the first time I've seen a picture of the site. I can't believe they would build something like that so close to a school and homes!

[Buzz Clik]

20. They violated some pretty critical regulations in the operation of the facility.

Storing large quantities of ammonium nitrate is tightly controlled, but it is self reported. This bastard did not report.

If he had simply reported the storage of the ammonium nitrate, the fire department would have handled their response differently, and the surrounding areas would have been evacuated.

[Rex]

24. Yes I read about how the VFD didn't know

about the ammonium nitrate...now I see why. The owner has a LOT to answer for! That goes beyond criminal negligence imo.

[Marrah_G]

12. I agree

People and the media need to let the first responders do their jobs.

[HiPointDem]

25. "having media hordes around will really interfer with that" = bullshit.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Maybe they want to make sure it's safe?

Doesn't really alarm me.

There was a restaurant here that exploded back in February. Gas leak. Last I heard, they still weren't letting anyone in to check out the rubble.

[malaise]

13. Well if it's still dangerous shouldn't they tell people

The report I heard people said people were frustrated because they weren't receiving information

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. I will say this, general statement on rural areas, see it way too often

Even if you tell them, and I am betting on public information officers by the bucketful...it's government. People tend to dismiss both gub'mint (PIO) and media reports.

[MineralMan]

6. Oddly enough, a Google image search for West, TX Explosion

turns up many, many images taken by the media. Go have a look. It appears that the media has been viewing the devastation and photographing it, so I'm not sure your statement is accurate.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. The fire is not fully put out

Still smoldering.

Until hazmat declares it safe there is still a smallish risk of explosion.

[Rex]

9. My guess is that the scene is horrible and dangerous

at the same time. And could cause further damage. My speculation, I really don't see any reason they would keep the media and residents away from the scene unless it is still dangerous.

[malaise]

14. OK Rex

Guess you're right

[Rex]

16. Or

I just saw a picture of the site for the very first time and I cannot believe they built something like that so close to a public school and homes. So maybe, like the Keystone XL pipeline, they are trying to keep the media away for PR reasons. Not really going to help since I see there are plenty of pictures to show what is wrong with this picture.

Take your pick, it is either one or the other.

[malaise]

17. I could not believe how close it was to the school and

the nursing home. Effing crazy!

[Rex]

18. It is a freakin outrage.

Ya this is fucked up pretty much every which way from Sunday malaise, hopefully there will be someone held accountable. I am looking at the pictures and wondering how they got away with building it so close to people.

[malaise]

19. Perry is lucky Obama doesn't think like him

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/obama-declares-emergency-texas-plant-blast-19004125#.UXLcasqyDiU
<snip>
President Barack Obama has issued an emergency declaration and pledged disaster relief aid to Texas to help in the recovery efforts following this week's deadly fertilizer plant explosion near Waco.

Obama's order Friday night authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts in the town of West. Wednesday's explosion at the West Fertilizer plant killed at least 14 people, injured more than 200 others and demolished buildings for blocks around.

After addressing the arrest of the second Boston Marathon bombing suspect Friday night, the president extended his sympathies to the community of West and everyone else affected by the explosion.

Obama said he's spoken with Texas Gov. Rick Perry and West's mayor, and he pledged that the community will have the resources it needs to rebuild.

[dixiegrrrrl]

21. They did NOT build it so close to people

West Fertilizer began as Texas Grain and was founded in 1958 by the Plasek family, according to court documents in a civil case brought by Adair against the Monsanto Co. in 2007. In 1960, the fledgling company “built a small fertilizer blend plant for farmers in the area and started selling fertilizer and grain storage services for other farmers in Texas,” according to the records.

“The town grew up and around that fertilizer plant,” Payne said. “It’s a staple. That’s how agriculture works.”

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/fertilizer-plant-owner-longtime-fixtures-in-a-smal/nXRh2/

[Rex]

22. Okay, still no one should build that close to a potential bomb.

Live in a small town, can understand exactly what that means.

[Justice]

23. so poor zoning laws to protect people