Cleburne Times-Review: Area firefighters return to West

Firefighters from Cleburne, Alvarado and Burleson returned to West about 7 p.m. Thursday, one day after an explosion at an explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. resulted in multiple deaths, injuries and damage throughout the town. Burleson also sent a police officer to assist.

Firefighters from several Johnson County departments and several Cleburne police officers dispatched to West on Wednesday night in the aftermath of the blast, but returned home early Thursday morning.

“We’re [going back] to fill the role of the West Fire Department and help on their regular call coverage,” CFD Assistant Chief Keith Scarbrough said. “Also to give those guys a break because a lot of them have been working straight through. Our guys will mostly handle the regular calls, not doing the building searches and body recoveries.”

Scarbrough said Cleburne and Alvarado sent four firefighters each.

The death toll from the blast remains unknown but 12 bodies have been pulled from the wreckage. At least five West firefighters are believed dead. The blast injured more than 150 residents and could be heard about 50 miles away.

Scarbrough said the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System, or TIFMAS, will likely deploy several North Texas fire departments to West later today.

“When that happens, our guys, and Alvarado’s, could be deployed and stay down there another seven days,” Scarbrough said. “But, since we’re already there, they may relieve us and send people from other stations in. We ended up going back there because [CFD Chief Clint Ishmael and AFD Chief Richard Van Winkle] were already there and they decided West needed more people to fill in and help out until TIFMAS deployed more people.”

Ishmael traveled to West Wednesday night. He returned early Thursday morning, but returned later the same day.

Ishmael on Thursday described his first trip as a chaotic scene of heavy destruction. Many of the heavily damaged areas, including a nursing home, apartment complex and middle school, were initially inaccessible, he said.

Johnson County Emergency Services District No. 1 firefighters were also scheduled to return to West on Thursday night.

“Alvarado, Cleburne and those guys should be heading back about 7 p.m. [today],” JCESD Executive Director Mike Johnston said. “I’m sending three or four of our guys down with Engine 290 and they’ll leave about 5 p.m. Basically they’re going to man the station down there to help out. West has about 30 firefighters and right now about half of them are incapacitated.”

JCESD dispatched their mass casualty incident trailer to West on the night of the blast. JCESD firefighters remained on scene to help out through much of that night, but returned to Cleburne on Thursday morning.

Williams visits West

U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, traveled to West this morning to meet with residents and view the wreckage. Williams represents both Hill County, where West is located, and Johnson County.

Williams commented on the situation Thursday.

“My thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by the horrible explosion in West,” Williams said. “This is a strong, close community that supports its neighbors during times of tragedy, and I know they will get through this together.

“While there are still many unanswered questions, now is the time to rally around those who were killed or injured and support their families during this difficult time.”