The West Fertilizer Co., site of amassive explosion that killed 15 ­people and damaged ordestroyed more than 100 homes, two schools and multiple businesses,carried $1 million in liability insurance, ­NationalUnderwriter has confirmed.

The coverage was provided by United States Fire Insurance Co.,a member of Morristown, N.J.-based Crum & Forster,which is part of the Fairfax Group.

Daniel Keeney, a spokesman for Adair Grain Inc., says he is notaware of any other insurance for the West, Texas fertilizerretailer. Adair Grain, owned by the Adair family of West, is theparent company of West Fertilizer, which is a $4 million/yearoperation.

Several lawsuits have been filed against Adair Grain since theforce of the April 17 blast leveled ­surrounding homes. Multiplecompanies within the W.R. Berkley Corp. group of insurers are amongthose who have filed suit, claiming negligence on the part of theAdairs. The subrogation suit looks to recoup money paid by Berkleyto insureds including individuals, a bank, a car dealership, a TV& appliance store, a bakery, an auto parts store, two churchesand an inn.

Paul A. Grinke, the attorney for the group of W.R. Berkley Corp.companies that has filed suit against West Fertilizer Co., callsthe glaring lack of appropriate cover “irresponsible” and predictshis clients and others involved in lawsuits against the West, Texasfacility that exploded last month will “be left holding thebag.”

“Unfortunately I'm involved in a lot of cases dealing withunderinsured properties but I've never been involved in somethinglike this—a facility such as this one with so little insurance forthe risk,” Grinke tells NU.

The Insurance Council of Texas ­estimates the insured propertylosses at about $100 million. That figure includes estimatedinsurance payments for the plant, 140 homes, an apartment complex,a middle school and a retirement center.

A criminal investigation into the cause of the explosion hasbeen launched, but authorities say the highly volatile chemicalcompound ammonium nitrate was found at the site of the fertilizerretailer. Possibly hundreds of tons of the fertilizerwere stored at the plant.

The Texas Department of Insurance says four state agencies withsome oversight of these types of facilities—State Health Services,Texas State Chemist, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, andTexas ­Agriculture Department—do not require General Liability fora West Fertilizer-type operation. “Companies that carry insuranceare not required to report that information to us,” TDI says in astatement.

The insurance department says it cannot comment on theinvestigation but it did quash reports of anhydrous ammonium beinginvolved in the explosion. The tanks were notinvolved in the explosion or fire, says TDI.

The Adairs have been cooperating with investigators, saysKeeney, and “want to sincerely figure out what happened andencourage any actions that would minimize the likelihood ofsomething like this ever happening again.”