In a story more important than the Boston bombings, the names of the firefighters killed in the line of duty have been identified.
From the Chicago Tribune: Texas officials released the names of four volunteer firefighters on Sunday killed in a deadly blast in this close-knit Texas town, as authorities identified the center but not the cause of last week's deadly fertilizer plant blast.
Among the dead named at a news conference outside city hall in West, Texas, were brothers Doug and Robert Snokhous, remembered by their family as "lifelong best friends" who lived half a mile from each other and worked together at an ironworks in nearby Waco....
A liaison official for the Texas Line of Duty Death Task Force, which cares for the families of fallen first responders, read a statement for Dane and Rhonda Chapman, whose son Jerry Chapman died in the blast.
The Chapmans - who stood silently, their heads bowed - remembered him as man who had "found his passion and life." His faith in God and his fellow firefighters "gave him the strength to lay down his life for others," they said.
Officials identified a fourth firefighter, Kevin Sanders. His family said he gave his life protecting others, adding simply: "We love him and will miss him very much."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-explosion-texasbre93k0ab-20130421,0,7680406.story
RIP firefighters and prayers to the families and to the West Volunteer Fire Dept. and the other fire departments involved in fighting the fire.
Loses creates unbearable pain. West is demanding for more than just donations, it is visible that the plant was negligent at some times, if so this will pave the way for qualified legal actions from the victims. Hopefully, Senator Barbara Boxer would finally uncover the real cause of the blast and probe whether there are any gaps in the enforcement of U.S. chemical safety laws.
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