Obama, Texas officials honor firefighters killed in fertilizer plant explosion

[alp227]

Source: Washington Post

President Obama told the families and friends of the 12 firefighters who were killed in a massive fertilizer plant explosion near here last week that America had them in their prayers, even as so much of the nation’s attention was focused on the tragedy in Boston.

Obama joined Texas officials and thousands of first responders and community members to memorialize the firefighters, whose flag-draped coffins were in the front of the auditorium at Baylor University, about 20 miles from the site of the plant explosion in the city of West. A poster of each of the fallen firefighters — ages 26 to 52 — was placed before each coffin.

Authorities haven’t identified the cause of the blast, which killed three others and came just two days after bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon.

“While the eyes of the world may have been fixed on places far away, our hearts have also been here,” Obama said. “And to the families and neighbors grappling with unbearable loss, we are here to say, you are not alone, you are not forgotten. We may not all live here in Texas, but we’re neighbors, too.”

...

Former president George W. Bush sent remarks, read by Baylor President Ken Starr: “We are sad we cannot be with you for this memorial service. .?.?. All who are suffering are in our hearts and prayers.”

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-texas-leaders-honor-firefighters-killed-in-plant-blast/2013/04/25/2f1fca42-adbd-11e2-8bf6-e70cb6ae066e_story.html

---

Yes that is the last sentence in the article I added to the excerpt. Bush can't even speak in person at a high-profile funeral service in the state where he used to be governor? He instead had to use the guy who went after Clinton?

[blm]

1. The owners and Rick Perry should be charged with murder, criminal negligence.

The owners KNEW there were mass amounts of explosive chemicals in that building and they should have informed the firefighters so they could clear the area before the explosion including themselves.

Those fascist bustards let those firefighters die.

Rick Perry to big business: Move to Texas where you don't have to worry about regulations.

Texas - a right to die at work state.

[narnian60]

5. Yes, yes, and ohhhh, yes.

[mountain grammy]

2. I wondered where that sleaze went. I thought Baylor was a good school.

I watched the president's remarks. I would have liked to hear him rail against the unregulated actions that led to this disaster and tell people they deserve to work in a safe environment. He needed to say the rules are there for a reason and this plant owner violated them causing the death and destruction that has disrupted their lives. He should tell all how these volunteer, UNPAID, firemen went in to fight the fire WITHOUT the knowlege that 270 tons of amonium nitrate was stored on the property.
If the funeral for workers killed on the job due to owner negligence isn't the place to bring this up, I don't know what is. Now lets have a few more Bible verses and lessons from scripture. Sweet Jesus, make people grow brains.

[freshwest]

7. Unfortunately, firemen often go into fires without full disclosure. It appears the fire was outside.

The winds blew the flames into the area where the chemicals were stored, likely there were propane tanks in there as well. Refineries, chemical plants, grain and rice silos and fertilizer plants are quite dangerous and always have been.

The unions that once represented folks have been under intense attack since the Reagan era in Texas, likely everywhere else. AFAIK, the total amount of deaths has not been released.

Federal regulation of all things has been defunded since the GOP took over in the nineties. What laws or rights are on the books can't be enforced without the money and the GOP, instead of having debates on the merits of such things, just cuts the throats.

We can't even get the head of an agency confirmed most the times. ATF has been without a director since Bush. The GOP just stands to the side pointing their finger at the failures of government they have fought to make happen.

It's going to be a long way back, the labor movement was many years after many deaths far worse than this in the making. Those who oppress have the advantage of wealth to wear us down. This has always been the case so we have to pick up our tools and go at it again. That's all I know.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

3. How about the others that died? Their lives mean nothing???

All people are equal, but some are more equal that others?

Why not show up to the non-emergency workers' funerals?

[Skittles]

4. those were private

this was a public memorial

[KoKo]

6. "Private vs. Public?" Okay...

I guess that's the way it works these days. The Dead ARE Dead..and to differentiate between "Public and Private" DEATH for Memorial...sort of goes against ...well whatever.

I hope I read this wrong...

[Skittles]

8. it was arranged by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

http://www.firehero.org/

[KoKo]

9. Okay...sounded kind of strange...but, guess it's okay. Just one of those

bureaucratic things between "authorities on the ground."

Sorry Skittles... that I misread what you said.

[Skittles]

10. I think Obama does what he can

he cannot go to all funerals of these senseless tragedies, but in this service he did refer to all the deaths......omg, so tragic

[Cha]

12. Right in the article..

“While the eyes of the world may have been fixed on places far away, our hearts have also been here,” Obama said. “And to the families and neighbors grappling with unbearable loss, we are here to say, you are not alone, you are not forgotten. We may not all live here in Texas, but we’re neighbors, too.”

The president added that “no words adequately describe the courage that was displayed on that deadly night” but that what he can do “is offer the love and support and prayers of the nation.”

[Manifestor_of_Light]

11. What happened to the 60 people they said were missing?

Ken Starr's mother lived in Elkhart.

Not far from me. there's a Starr Cemetery on Hwy. 19.