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Update From West, 3 Months After Plant Explosion

A home spray painted with a heart and an inspirational message, damaged by the fertilizer plant explosion along Reagan Street is shown Friday, May 31, 2013, in West, Texas. (Tony Gutierrez/AP)
A home spray painted with a heart and an inspirational message, damaged by the fertilizer plant explosion along Reagan Street is shown Friday, May 31, 2013, in West, Texas. (Tony Gutierrez/AP)

Three months after a deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, killed 15 people and injured at least 200 others, Mayor Tommy Muska says residents there are trying to move on and rebuild.

One of the main tasks has been demolishing destroyed home to make room for new ones.

“We’ve had about 117 demolitions in the last three months,” Muska said.

After three months, the effects of the explosion show in the town’s psyche, Muska said, and providing mental health services is a priority.

Students from Baylor University have been offering counseling to residents, and Muska says people often come into his office needing to vent.

“They just need someone to talk to sometimes,” he said. “I’ve been a cheerleader for the past three months. It took seconds for it to be destroyed, and it’s going to take a long time to get it rebuilt.”

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