Finger Pointing And Few Answers After Texas Explosion

[white cloud]

It’s still not known why a fertilizer plant exploded in April in West, Texas, on April 17.

The blast killed 14 people, leveled homes and destroyed two schools and a nursing home. It left a crater 93-feet across and 10-feet deep.

“For the local government and for state officials not to stop and think of the dangers that that posed to the nearby residents is just unthinkable.”

Texas state officials say local officials should have educated the 2,800 residents about the risk of building close to the plant.

But West Mayor Tommy Muska says he had no jurisdiction over the plant.

“The plant has just been there forever. It’s been there all my life – I’m 55 years old and it’s been there since I was born,” Muska told Here & Now. “Technically, it’s not in the city limits, it’s out in the country.”


http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2013/05/02/west-texas-answers

[mbperrin]

1. So long as no one is accountable or has to pay money to the victims and their families,

it will be normal dealings for Texas, where business has become all and people are nothing.

Was not always like this, but it is now.

Shame.

Grown men used to own up to their faults.

[Downwinder]

2. Is the Texas City (BP/Marathon) Refinery

inside or outside the Texas City City Limits?

[mbperrin]

4. I can't really tell from looking at the Galveston County tax appraisal records.

Marathon shows to own several hundred lots of "unknown location" of various values, some of which pay taxes to Texas City, some don't. They're definitely in their Extraterritorial Jurisdiction, though, same as the plant in West.

[kentauros]

6. If you're referring to the famous 1947 explosion

then you're going to have to look at historical maps to discover city boundaries. They can change considerably over time, usually with regards to population growth.

As those plants are also on the waterfront, I seriously doubt they were ever outside of the city limits. I've never seen a city anywhere not want to govern the land up to (and even into) the water.

[ashling]

3. “Technically, it’s not in the city limits, it’s out in the country.”

I just put a question on my Texas Govt. Final Exam about extraterritorial jurisdiction. But hey, anything to make it someone else's responsibility.

[Downwinder]

5. McLennan County

McLennan County Disaster Preparedness Drills Didn’t Include West Fertilizer Company Plant

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/05/02/mclennan-county-disaster-preparedness-drills-didnt-include-west-fertilizer-company-plant/