Firefighters are scouring the wreckage of a historic Fort Worth hotel as they investigate the cause of a massive explosion that shattered windows, littered the streets with debris and injured 21 people, including one critically.

Greg Abbott on Monday announced the appointment of 437th District Court Judge Lori Valenzuela to the 4th Court of Appeals. The appointment came after Chief Justice Sandee Bryan-Marion retired in December and Justice Rebecca Martinez was elected in November to the post, which created a vacancy in the court. Valenzuela said the appointment will be a new role since she is accustomed to dealing with attorneys and their clients directly from the bench. The appeals court, located in the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center at the Bexar County Courthouse, serves 32 South Texas counties. RELATED: Bexar County district attorney names veteran prosecutor to head new civil rights division