Texas makes bounce house operators carry liability coverage, but not plants like West Fertilizer

[cali]

Texas law requires Karl Magenheimer’s family business to carry at least $1 million in liability insurance. He understands the cost. Kids could get hurt if one of his inflatable bounce houses were improperly secured and flipped over.

“There are not many accidents. Whenever there is, it will be on TV,” said Magenheimer, who with his wife, Lena, co-owns Jump City of Flower Mound. “That child needs to be able to have his current and future medical needs cared for.”

From home exterminators to air-conditioner repairmen and tow-truck drivers, dozens of different types of companies in Texas must have insurance to cover injuries, deaths and property damage they might cause.

But not so for plants mixing and storing volatile materials like West Fertilizer Co., where a fire and explosion last month killed 15 people and injured 200.

Three state agencies couldn’t explain why there were no liability insurance mandates for companies like West Fertilizer, other than the Texas Legislature hadn’t created rules requiring such coverage. A fourth, the Texas Department of Insurance, says it only oversees insurance companies and the amusement ride industry.

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http://www.dallasnews.com/news/west-explosion/headlines/20130508-texas-makes-bounce-house-operators-carry-liability-coverage-but-not-plants-like-west-fertilizer.ece

Also, Texas has opened a criminal investigation into the explosion, but it's not clear if they're investigating the operator of the plant for criminal negligence or suspect that the fire was set.

Texas authorities are launching a criminal investigation into last month's deadly fertilizer distribution facility explosion in West, Texas, the Texas Department of Public Safety said Friday.

The April 17 fire and explosion at West Fertilizer Co. killed 14 people and devastated the small town of West.

On Monday, the state fire marshal's office said it ruled out four potential causes: weather, natural causes, anhydrous ammonium, and ammonium nitrate in a rail car.

The fire began in the fertilizer and seed building, but authorities still were trying to figure out the exact spot, the fire marshal's office said Monday.

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http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/10/justice/texas-explosion-probe/

[LeftInTX]

1. West paramedic arrested on charge of possession of destructive device

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/05/west-paramedic-arrested-on-charge-of-possession-of-destructive-device.html/

Officials haven’t said whether the arrest was related to the April 17 explosion at West Fertilizer Co. that killed 15, injured about 200 and destroyed hundreds of homes.

He is due in federal court in Waco some time after 10 this morning.