Willie Nelson Gives More Than $120K for Texas Explosion Relief

Country star Willie Nelson has donated more than $120,000 for relief efforts following a deadly fertilizer plant explosion near his Central Texas hometown.

A representative for Nelson on Monday afternoon presented a check for nearly $81,000 to the West Volunteer Fire Department. Most of the money was raised during Nelson’s Austin-area concert last month celebrating his 80th birthday.

About $40,000 was donated to Nelson’s hometown of Abbott, which had a truck destroyed in the massive April 17 blast in West. The explosion killed 14 people and left about 200 hurt.

Texas law enforcement officials on Friday launched a criminal investigation into the explosion at West Fertilizer Co. that damaged or destroyed dozens of structures.

West is about 70 miles south of Fort Worth.