A Hazardous Waste Explosion. A Federal Probe

The explosion that sent gas cylinders flying like fireworks over Southwest Industrial Gases in Dallas Wednesday raises concerns about the safety of hazardous waste storage and transportation nationwide.

These are questions that have been raised before -- when a train carrying propane derailed and exploded in March in upstate New York, when a fire at a Kansas solvents business forced the evacuation of thousands from the city of Valley Center earlier this month -- but these are issues that have to be dealt with primarily on a local basis.

Federal and state governments give out money and expertise to help deal with hazardous waste storage, and to react to emergencies involving hazardous waste. Dallas today is asking whether it could have done more to inspect facilities like the one that exploded. It's a question better asked before the next emergency.

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