Slow public alert on Williston fire raises concern

Published July 24, 2014 1:56am ET



WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) — When Aaron Volesky heard what he thought was thunder and walked outside his Williston home early Tuesday morning he thought it was odd that there were no storm clouds in the air.

It wasn’t thunder he heard. An explosion and fire at an oil field service supply company where dozens of toxic chemicals were stored sent fireballs and thick plumes of smoked hundreds of feet into the air.

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