One million dollars.
That's how much cover the West Fertilizer Co. in West, Texas, carried in liability insurance. At an operation where the chemical compound ammonium nitrate—known to be highly volatile—was stored, and where it's estimated that hundreds of tons of fertilizer were kept on hand at the plant at the time of the massive, April 17 explosion that took the lives of 15 people and caused property losses of approximately $100 million, according to the Insurance Council of Texas.
That $100 million figure includes estimated insurance payments for the plant, 140 homes, an apartment complex, a middle school and a retirement center. A criminal investigation into the blast is under way.
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Shawn Moynihan
Shawn Moynihan is Editor-in-Chief of National Underwriter Property & Casualty. A St. John’s University alum, Moynihan has earned 11 Jesse H. Neal Awards, the Pulitzers of the business press; seven Azbee Awards, from the American Society of Business Press Editors; two Folio Awards; and a SABEW award, from the Society of American Business Editors & Writers. Prior to joining ALM, he served as Managing Editor/Online Editor of journalism institution Editor & Publisher, the trade bible of the newspaper industry. Moynihan also has held editorial positions with AOL, Metro New York, and Newhouse Newspapers. He can be reached at [email protected].
