The Nation : Review of Explosives Regulations Urged

The U.S. Fire Administration, after a two-month probe into explosions that killed six Kansas City, Mo., firefighters, called for a review of federal regulations governing explosives and of guides for workers responding to emergencies involving hazardous materials. “The object of such a review is to ensure that emergency response personnel who find themselves on the scene of an incident at 3 a.m. have as clear a picture as possible of the situation confronting them and the actions which they may most prudently take to protect lives and property,” the report said. The Federal Emergency Management Agency released the findings of the two-month Fire Administration investigation during a news conference that also included Kansas City, Mo., Fire Chief Ed Wilson, Mayor Richard Berkley and two City Council members who are on a mayor-appointed committee examining the incident. Six firefighters were killed Nov. 29 at a south Kansas City construction site when two trailers containing a mix of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil exploded.