Texas Officials Blame Federal Agency for Starting Wildfire

By Peter DePaolis
Attorney

“That bunch has a real corner on stupid,” is how a Texas county official described the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). Texas officials blamed the federal agency earlier this month for a fire that burned 150 acres of Texas land. The incident happened when ATF agents and Texas officials were destroying some explosives in the Texas Panhandle.

According to an ATF official, the explosives were too dangerous to move, so the ATF made the decision to destroy the explosives before moving them to another location. The wind picked-up and the blaze ignited some nearby grass, according to the ATF official. An ATF spokesperson said the agency is informing residents how to make a claim with the government for any fire damage.

Texas is under an existing burn ban due to extensive prairie fires and brush fires. Texas officials criticized the federal government for starting a fire knowing that the state is already suffering from out-of-control fires. The U.S. Drought Monitor classifies Texas as an “exceptional drought.”

A Washington, D.C. personal injury lawyer can help if you suffer injuries in a fire started by another party’s negligence. Contact a Washington, D.C. personal injury attorney at Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis L.L.P. for more information. David Schloss is an experienced personal injury attorney who can represent you and protect your rights.

About the Author
Peter DePaolis joined the firm in 1980 and has since represented a large number of individuals involved in automobile collisions, truck accidents, bus crashes, defective products, and medical malpractice cases. A significant portion of Mr. DePaolis’ practice is devoted to working on behalf of people suffering from asbestosis, mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related cancers. He has led his firm’s fight against the asbestos industry and has recovered over $30 million in damages for asbestos victims and their families.