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'Devoted' Texas Dad Dies Nearly 1 Month After Explosion at Bus Transportation Center Killed Colleague

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'Devoted' Texas Dad Dies Nearly 1 Month After Explosion at Bus Transportation Center Killed Colleague


A “devoted” father has died nearly a month after an explosion at a transportation center killed a colleague and injured several others, officials said.

German Garcia, a fleet maintenance technician, died of injuries that were sustained when a fire broke out at the Sun Metro Bicentennial Council Transit Operations Center in El Paso, Texas, on Feb. 11, the city said in a news release.

“We are heartbroken to lose another dedicated member of our Sun Metro team,” said Dionne Mack, city manager. “German Garcia was an essential part of the hardworking group that keeps our community moving forward. His loss is immense, and we send our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues during this painful time.”

The explosion caused the roof and walls of the building to collapse and was not far from the city’s international airport, according to the Associated Press.

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Eight people were injured in total, five of whom were transported to local hospitals, the city said in a Feb. 12 press release. Two of the people hospitalized were later identified as Garcia and his coworker, Ruben Ibarra.

The men, who both joined the company in December 2024, were critically injured and transported to a burn center in Phoenix. Two days later, Ibarra, who also worked as a technician, died of his injuries, according to officials.

Newly released records reveal that a bus caused the explosion, according to KFOX14.

Ruben Ibarra.

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In a GoFundMe page launched in the wake of the accident, the organizer described 29-year-old Ibarra as a “hardworking and kindhearted” young man.

“This is an incredibly difficult time for him and his family as they are not only facing immense emotional pain but also significant financial challenges, including medical bills, travel costs, and daily living expenses,” he added. The tribute — which has since closed — raised nearly $30,000.

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Separately, on the day of the fire, Daphne Flores created a GoFundMe fundraiser to support Garcia’s wife, Jessica Flores, and their family. 

Daphne wrote at the time, “Our beloved German, a devoted family man, was tragically caught in the Sun Metro fire and has suffered life-threatening injuries.” As of Friday, March 7, more than $31,000 has been raised. 

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The organizer did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

“It is truly heartbreaking to lose not one, but two valued members of our City team in such a short span,” said Mayor Renard Johnson in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. “We grieve alongside their families and our Sun Metro employees. We encourage the community to remember them in their thoughts and prayers as we all process this sorrow together.”



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Texas sues Netflix for allegedly spying on kids, addicting users

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Texas sues Netflix for allegedly spying on kids, addicting users


Netflix was sued Monday (May 11) by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who accused the streaming company of spying on children and other consumers by collecting their data without consent, and designing its platform to be addictive. Ram Nabong reports.



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Texas sues Netflix, alleges platform spied on kids and collected data

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Texas sues Netflix, alleges platform spied on kids and collected data


The state of Texas announced a lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix on Monday, accusing the company of spying on children and other consumers by collecting their data without consent and designing the platform to be addictive.

Texas claims that Netflix has falsely represented to consumers that it didn’t collect or share user data while it actually tracked and sold viewers’ habits and preferences to commercial data brokers and advertising technology companies.

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The lawsuit, filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, claims that “Netflix’s endgame is simple and lucrative: get children and families glued to the screen, harvest their data while they are stuck there, and then monetize the data for a handsome profit.”

The state of Texas announced a lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix on Monday. (Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“When you watch Netflix, Netflix watched you,” Texas added in the lawsuit.

NETFLIX CO-FOUNDER REED HASTINGS TO STEP DOWN, DEPARTURE IS ‘SPOOKING INVESTORS’

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NFLX NETFLIX INC. 85.39 -2.10 -2.40%

The complaint quotes comments made by former CEO Reed Hastings who said in 2020, while he was still leading the streaming company, that “we don’t collect anything,” amid questions over Big Tech companies’ data collection practices.

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Netflix was also accused of quietly using “dark patterns” to keep users watching on its platform, such as an autoplay feature that starts a new show after a different show ends.

NETFLIX RAISES SUBSCRIPTION PRICES ACROSS ALL PLANS

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit. (Cheney Orr/Reuters)

Paxton said in a press release that Netflix “has built a surveillance program designed to illegally collect and profit from Texans’ personal data without their consent, and my office will do everything in our power to stop it.”

The attorney general said he’s charging Netflix under the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act and seeks to require Netflix to stop the unlawful collection and disclosure of user data, require Netflix to disable autoplay by default on kid’s profiles, and to secure injunctive relief and civil penalties.

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FOX Business reached out to Netflix for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.



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6 people found dead inside a boxcar in Texas, officials say | CNN

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6 people found dead inside a boxcar in Texas, officials say | CNN


Six people were found dead inside a cargo train boxcar in a Texas city along the southern border on Sunday, officials said.

The bodies were found in a Union Pacific train at a rail yard in Laredo, around 160 miles south of San Antonio, just after 3:30 p.m. local time, said Jose Espinoza, a public information officer with the Laredo Police Department.

The circumstances of their deaths are unknown, said Laredo police spokesperson Joe Baeza, according to CNN affiliate KGNS, and an investigation is underway.

Union Pacific operates across the border and is the only railroad that services all access points into Mexico, according to the freight company’s website.

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Temperatures on Sunday afternoon in Laredo were in the low-mid 90s, though it’s unclear whether heat was a factor.

Union Pacific said it was saddened by the incident and is working closely with law enforcement to investigate.

Laredo police said they received a call around 3 p.m. from an employee at the Union Pacific rail yard, KGNS reported. The bodies were discovered during a routine rail car inspection, police said. No survivors were found.

CNN has reached out to Laredo police for more information.

“It’s a very early phase of the investigation. There’s not a lot to reveal right now,” Baeza said, KGNS reported.

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The immigration status and ages of the deceased are not yet known, Espinoza said.

US Customs and Border Protection referred CNN to the Laredo Police Department, saying “The incident remains under investigation by Laredo Police Department and Homeland Security Investigation and Texas Rangers.”

CNN has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, HSI and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

“It’s a very unfortunate event,” Espinoza told CNN. “It was too many lives that were lost.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

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