West Fertilizer Plant Explosion
NFFF continues to support the city following the fertilizer explosion, plus two recent struck-by incident LODDs
Detailing the tragedy from the initial response to the final investigation
150+ firefighters responded to the Rockton, Ill., plant explosion, a scene reminiscent of West, Texas
4 steps to prepare for a fire involving hazardous or potentially explosive materials
Few significant crackdowns on chemical storage came in the wake of the 2013 West explosion, which killed 12 firefighters
Firefighters must plan the tactical needs for all high-hazard environments in their response area
2019 Year in Review
From dangerous structure fires to active shooter events, firefighters faced many significant incidents in the 2010s
Volunteer firefighter Perry Calvin was one of 15 killed in the 2013 explosion
Little has been accomplished since the disaster, despite some state legislation and an executive order from President Barack Obama to improve chemical facility safety
State lawmakers gave preliminary approval for stricter storage requirements for the highly flammable ammonium nitrate
Ten responders were killed in 2013 when the Texas plant exploded
The report says the firefighters are not to blame, but were victims of a “systemic deficiency in ... training and preparation”
Officials will meet with West residents to present the findings of their line-of-duty report examining the deaths of the responders who were killed in the blast
“It is imperative that people learn from the tragedy at West,” CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso said
Hazardous chemicals can still be stored in flammable containers and firefighters still aren’t required to train how to fight such fires
A moment of silence at 7:51 p.m. marked the exact time of the leveling blast in a town that is recovering but still has a long way to go
A dozen responders were among those killed in the April 17, 2013 blast
“He’d be happy about it, that they’re out here helping me,” Becky Calvin said
Follow these 10 steps when confronted with an ammonium nitrate fire
