The remains of a fertilizer plant burn after an explosion at the plant in the town of West, Texas, early April 18, 2013
A massive explosion tore through a West, Texas, fertilizer plant on April 17 after a small fire spread to a highly combustible stockpile of ammonium nitrate. The blast, which measured 2.1 on the Richter scale and could be felt 50 miles (80 km) away, killed 15 people, injured almost 200 and caused $100 million worth of damage. The incident has raised questions about lax regulatory oversight of explosive materials. And after a string of industrial disasters in Asia, it reminded the world that worker safety is a universal concern.