The TribLocal has an article which reveals that one of the fourteen people killed in last week’s massive explosion in West, Texas was from Plainfield.
A native of the Chicago area who was among the 14 people killed in last week’s Texas fertilizer plant explosion will be honored by local firefighters and police, officials announced Wednesday.
Kevin Sanders, 33, was with south suburban Plainfield’s emergency management agency for about five years, assisting police with events and traffic control, before moving to Texas four or five years ago, Frankfort Assistant Fire Chief Larry Rauch said in a statement. He is making the arrangements for an honor transport of Sanders’ remains upon arrival in the Chicago area.
Members of Sanders’ family still live in Plainfield and are now in Texas, where a service for fallen first responders is planned Thursday, Rauch said.
Sanders was a volunteer firefighter with the Bruceville-Eddy Fire Department near West, Texas, and was taking an emergency medical technician class at the West Fire Department at the time of the blasts, Rauch said. Sanders’ EMT class responded to the initial plant fire to help evacuate residents, Rauch said. He reportedly was caught in the second blast.
Sanders and his classmates were near the plant as the explosion ripped through, Rauch said. “Kevin was one of several first responders who gave their lives in the evacuation effort,” he said.
Sanders had been with the Bruceville-Eddy Fire Department for about two years, Rauch said. Details about the honor transport will be released when complete, he added.
Plans to honor Sanders are being coordinated with several local and state fire and law enforcement agencies, Rauch said.
