Page 5 - ARUBA TODAY

A5
U.S. NEWS Monday 27 January 2020

Houston mayor, others help

residents after deadly blast

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston's coatings for equipment in were damaged as the
mayor and others say they various industries, authori- force of the blast shattered
will work to provide assis- ties said. windows, knocked down
tance to residents whose Employees Frank Flores and ceilings, bent garage doors
homes were damaged af- Gerardo Castorena were and moved some homes
ter a massive explosion at a killed. off their foundations.
warehouse that killed two In a statement released Dozens of volunteers were
workers and injured 20 oth- Saturday, Castorena's fam- out helping residents on
ers. ily said, "It's with a heavy Saturday. Houston Fire Department firefighters stand near a body that is
Mayor Sylvester Turner on heart that we had to say More than 80 of the vol- surrounded by debris after a nearby explosion in Houston, Fri-
Saturday walked through goodbye to a loving father, unteers were from Restore day, Jan. 24, 2020.
the impacted neighbor- son, brother, and friend Houston, a network of Associated Press
hoods in northwest Hous- yesterday morning. We do area churches dedicated
ton and spoke with resi- ask for privacy as we grieve to assisting families whose
dents who were cleaning during this time. Thank you homes were damaged
up after Friday's explosion. all to those for your kind from flooding during Hurri-
Cleanup and repair efforts words and support as we cane Harvey in 2017.
continued Sunday. get through this difficult "We'll be doing some work
"These people's lives have time." on homes, boarding up
been devastated by the Authorities say an addition- windows, tarping some
Houston explosion. We are al 20 people were injured roofs, but more impor-
not going to forget about — two other warehouse tantly we'll be loving on
them," Turner said. workers and 18 others from our neighbors and making
The explosion happened neighboring homes and sure they are aware that
about 4:30 a.m. Friday in- businesses. The explosion's they are not alone in this,"
side a building at Watson cause is being investigat- Josef Klam, a pastor with
Grinding and Manufactur- ed. Chapelwood United Meth-
ing, which makes valves More than 200 homes in sur- odist Church, told the Hous-
and provides thermal-spray rounding neighborhoods ton Chronicle.q