Texas City + 60

[kenw]

So many lessons learned at a so great a cost.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...o/4720831.html

[jerrykr]

A company I used to work for had a system installed at a company named Sterling Chemical in Texas City. I made a number of visits there working on upgrades to the system. Very nice people to work with.

The monument to the 1947 blast is at the entrance gate. In order to enter the company grounds, you had to watch a 15 minute video about all kinds of bad things that could happen there, and be escorted at all times by an employee who actually knew in detail what you had just watched. Their safety record was very good at that time.

One afternoon, there was a tornado warning announced. I asked where to go, and was told that we were in a building that had survived the 1947 blast. My hosts were not too worried.

The streets of Texas City all have very visible evacuation route signs leading you away from the bay, the chemical plants, and toward the Interstate.

I never was very comfortable down there.

[robert t]

My dad was a pipe fitter and was supposed to be at work in Texas City at one of the refineries that day, He stayed home sick. He lost many friends and insured my existence into the world eleven years later.

[mdurisseau]

I was at the memorial service on Monday...I have a slide show here...