Texas city disaster. Something like 580 killed.
I read it was about 35 dead. Where did you get that number?
Course, with the whole Boston thing, everything else has taken a back seat.
I remember the Texas City disaster, I was 7 and my parents lost several friends in the explosion. I have convinced myself that I heard and felt the explosion but maybe not. :)
There is a community college in Texas City and I worked there as a counselor for the handicapped in about 1986-1989.
The college is not far from Interstate Hwy. 45, the highway from Galveston north. Texas City is not far north of Galveston to give you an idea where it is.
There is a plan to follow when there is an explosion at a plant there. One day at the college, we heard a blast. For the college, the plan was - LEAVE RIGHT THEN. I went to my car and headed north to home.
A blast meant for the people in Texas City to immediately shelter in place and close doors and windows, then wait for further instructions.
My point is, explosions happen there. That complex of chemical plants, offloading dangerous chemicals from ships coming in there, oil coming in by ship, oil refinery plants, etc., is going to create explosions no matter how careful the workers are.
My stepson worked there and was Hazmat trained, so he would head for the explosion rather than flee like the rest of the workers. There are many different companies that have plants there. Every Hazmat worker for any company there would respond to a blast anywhere in that complex no matter which company.
I would never live in Texas City.