WEST, Texas — A volunteer paramedic who became a public face of mourning after last month’s deadly blast at a fertilizer plant in this Central Texas town denied having any involvement in the explosion, his lawyer said on Saturday.

The medic, Bryce A. Reed, 31, was arrested on Friday on charges he possessed components of a pipe bomb. Hours later, the authorities in Texas said they were opening a criminal investigation into the explosion, which killed 14, injured 200 and ravaged dozens of buildings.

Law enforcement authorities have not identified Mr. Reed as a suspect in the blast, nor have they indicated any link between his arrest and the April 17 explosion. But on Saturday, as people here continued clearing away debris and patching their homes back together, new questions arose about the grief-stricken emergency medical technician who stepped into the media glare after the explosion.

His lawyer, Jonathan Sibley, said that Mr. Reed wanted to address any speculation.

“Mr. Reed had no involvement whatsoever in the explosion,” Mr. Sibley said in a statement. “Mr. Reed was one of the first responders and lost friends, family and neighbors in that disaster. Mr. Reed is heartbroken for the friends he lost, and remains resolute in his desire to assist in the rebuilding of his community.”