Texas fertilizer plant blast that killed 15 was criminal act: ATF
Source: Reuters
(Reuters) - A blast that killed 15 people three years ago triggered by a fire at a Texas fertilizer plant was a criminal act, U.S. agents said on Wednesday after conducting extensive tests that eliminated accidental and natural causes.
"The only hypothesis that could not be eliminated ... and was confirmed by extensive testing ... is incendiary," Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigator Rob Elder, special agent in charge for the Houston field office. He spoke at a news conference on the blast that ripped through the city of West, about 75 miles (120 km) south of Dallas, in 2013.
Twelve of the 15 people who died were firefighters. Scores of others were injured and more than 500 homes were damaged in the blast, which was so powerful it registered as a magnitude 2.1 earthquake. Damage estimates have been pegged at $100 million.
Elder said a reward of up to $50,000 was being offered for information leading to the person or persons responsible for starting the blaze, adding that no arrests have been made.
"We have never stopped investigating this fire," he said. "It is our highest priority to see that the victims of this tragedy are provided an accurate explanation of what happened that day."
Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/texas-west-fertilizer-fire-explosion-criminal-act-report-173546349.html?nhp=1
longship
(40,416 posts)Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)May justice find it's way to the victims' families.