I'm not sure if these post even belongs here, but what the heck.

Lately in the news I have been hearing about the one-year anniversary of the explosion in West, Texas that resulted in 15 deaths, about 160 injuries, and more than 150 buildings damaged or destroyed.

I know a little about the fire protection business, and the place was a disaster waiting to happen. Texas apparently has no adopted building codes or zoning laws, so the fertilizer storage facility over the years was joined by a nearby school, nursing home, and so on. In addition, Texas law does not require installed fire protection in storage facilities like this (the ammonium nitrate is commonly used in agriculture, but was also the same stuff used in the Murrah Building bombing.) The facility was also constructed of wood. Safety inspections are not required, and no one has any authority to make businesses like this reduce hazards.

Well, we all know what happened there. After a year, nothing. No new laws, no demands to protect the more than 20 other facilities in the state built like this -- nothing. The anti-regulatory climate in Texas is so entrenched that I guess these folks and their property are acceptable collateral damage. (Other states have zoning laws and fire protection demands for facilities like this.)

Contrast that to the ferry that just sank off the coast of South Korea. Tremendous apologies, public shame (I have no idea what caused the ferry to sink). I think an official has already committed suicide. The owner in West, Texas? The townspeople said he surely feels bad about what happened, but there you are.

I know these are just two incidents, but the reactions to them have been very, very different. Interesting.