A massive explosion at West. Texas fertilizer plant that killed 15 people and injured hundreds on April 17, 2013 was mentioned in a Senate Appropriations Bill report 113-077 in connection with “gaps” in chemical security.
Buried deep within the hundreds of pages of a Senate Appropriations Bill dealing with the Department of Homeland Security was mention of “gaps” in chemical security efforts.
What exactly these “gaps” was hard to determine but were related to a tragic chemical facility explosion in West,Texas on April 17 2013, where 15 people were killed (of these 9 were “First Responders”) and 160 injured. In addition 150 buildings were destroyed.
See Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PKq3VMzlP8
The exact cause of the explosion was “undetermined” and authorities could not rule out whether or not the fire was intentionally set.
The blast damaged the nearby West Rest Haven nursing home and many residents were evacuated.
Many of the nursing home residents received cuts from flying glass and debris, but emergency personnel on scene judged that most of these injuries were not life-threatening
See article: West Explosion Claims 14 Lives http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/Explosion-Injuries-Reported-At-West-Fertilizer-Plant-203505331.html.
The report mentions something about a new requirement for the Chemical Sector Coordination Council to “develop recommendations to improve coordination among Federal agencies, streamlining reporting requirements and improving the Chemical Facility Anti-terrorism Standards Program” – apparently stemming from lessons learned from the West, Texas chemical plant explosion.
The report goes on to say that the Office of Management and Budget should “review and synchronize Federal entities involved in chemical security activities, minded the heading National Protection and Programs Directorate” (source: Senate Report 113-077, DHS Appropriations BILL 2014, Section: Coordination of Federal Chemical Security Efforts).
Several attempts to contact DHS for comment on this matter went unanswered by the agency on Friday.