Any time there's a major disaster someone comes up with a conspiracy theory to make it even more dramatic than it already is. That's generally what a conspiracy theory is for, to add drama. Think about it, every single bad event that ever happened to humanity couldn't have been part of some secret plot beyond even what was known about the occurrence, yet there's always someone there to put forth the inevitable conspiracy theory. We have the insatiable need for there to be something MORE to it, as though the bare provable facts in each case aren't horrible...and interesting enough.
I'm not saying that conspiracy theories should be dismissed out of hand, but knowing this irrefutable fact about human nature should make everyone view them, and all other such claims, with some skepticism. That skepticism should go both ways, however, and the accepted explanation for any event is not exempt from it, no matter how many people believe it. The fact remains that I would never consider an account from any person to be proof of anything. Human memory is too unreliable, and it's far too easy for a person to rewrite their own memories to fit a notion they came up with after the fact. I'm sure Mr. Rodriguez believes every word he's saying, but that doesn't mean his recollections are accurate.