Waco Texas Explosion
 

Sure you guys have heard this one by now, a Fertilizer Plant in Texas exploded earlier today:

Deadly Texas fertilizer plant blast injures at least 100 - World - CBC News


Anyway, not sure much on what caused it, but this video is crazy....

These people are lucky to not get the Darwin Award...

I seen that video on Facebook, did the car flip over or what? That's what it seems like. I hope the kid in the car is okay, they were bloody terrified.

Two people and rising, are dead so far.

saw it this morning...

what a sea of flames:yeah:

Because this disaster was not due to terrorism, occurred in Texas, and happened at a fertilizer plant instead of a sporting event, the Boston bombings are clearly more universally interesting. Still, the explosion in Texas is a far larger disaster. At least 13 are dead, hundreds are injured, and over a hundred buildings are destroyed. And the explosion emitted toxic chemicals that will kill more people in the area or shorten their lives considerably.

Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion Killed 13, Injured 200 - ABC News

It is definitely a horrible tragedy.

Yes. And I didn't mean to imply that the quantities of tragedy should be compared just because both incidents happened around the same time. Very different circumstances caused both things. For me, what's interesting is to compare the reasons behind the tragedies and to weigh the causes against each other.

In Boston, apparently some young religious freaks purposefully, deviously, and obviously illegally destroyed lives and property based on their personal beliefs. Both offenders had just reached adulthood.

In Texas, a group of established professionals accidentally destroyed a lot more lives and property because of their politically acceptable greed. The fertilizer plant was a known hazard. Its overseers had no intention of hurting anybody but definitely intended to contort the world around them to satisfy their desire for money. They did it legally.

Regulators fined Texas plant for safety violations | 11alive.com

For a few thousand dollars, officials of the federal US government recently allowed the owners of the plant to compromise the safety of an entire region. It appears that lies were told and that greased palms cosigned those lies and got the federal government to deem this fertilizer plant an acceptable risk.

I find myself wondering which incident is more criminal, and which is more endemic and dangerous to US society.

It's an extremely valid point, Engine. Whereas the Boston bombing could easily be said to have been unforseeable (can't be on your guard 24/7) this one clearly was not. People knew the risks, did not warn those whose lives would be affected by an accident and as you say, money talked and bull**** walked. A clear case of profit triumphing over people. Disgraceful, in no uncertain terms. A disaster that could quite easily have been avoided if people did their jobs instead of looking the other way for a casefull of money.

BTW does anyone know if the father and daughter are okay? It would seem they are, as she was just screaming that she couldn't hear. Let's hope they got out all right. I also assume the car did not turn over, as she was screaming at her dad to just get out of here, which she would not have done if the car could not be driven.

They're both okay. Apparently a lot of people wondered so the media tracked them down. The girl said her ears still hurt a little bit but she's fine other than that.

Cool. Thanks for that. :thumb: