A local paramedic who responded to the massive fertilizer plant fire last month in West, Texas, has been arrested for allegedly possessing a destructive device.
Bryce Reed, 31, was arrested early Friday by officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to staff at the McLennan County Jail.
Reed was booked at 2:40 a.m. and released to ATF custody about five hours later, jail staff said.
Officials have not said whether Reed’s arrest was related to the April 17 explosion at West Fertilizer Co. that killed 15, injured about 200 and destroyed hundreds of homes.
Reed could not be reached for comment, although he spoke with the Los Angeles Times soon after the massive West Fertilizer Co. explosion in the town of about 2,800 situated about 76 miles south of Dallas.
At the time, Reed said he narrowly escaped injury when he was ordered south of the fire just before the explosion to take the role of incident commander while his friend, a fellow first responder whose name had not been released, stayed at the scene. . .