Massive Explosion At Texas Fertiliser Plant

[icyfroth]

A massive explosion has ripped through a fertiliser plant in West, Texas, possibly leaving 60-70 people dead including first responders. Many more people are injured, with reports the explosion 'levelled' buildings in a five-block radius, including a school and a nursing home.

Gulf war veteran Paul L. Manigrasso told KWTX he felt the blast in Waxahachie.

“Based on my Naval experience...we knew immediately what it was, but cannot believe it occurred 40 miles away,” he said.

"It was a small fire and then water got sprayed the ammonia nitrate, and it exploded just like the Oklahoma City bomb," Jason Shelton, a clerk at the Czech Best Western Hotel in West, told The Dallas Morning News.

"I live about a 300 metres from it and it blew my screen door off and my back windows. There's houses levelled that were right next to it.”

Bill Bohannan, who was visiting his parents in West, near the plant, witnessed the explosion.

"It knocked us into the car ... Every house within about four blocks is blown apart," he told the Waco Tribune-Herald.

Crystal Anthony told the paper that a nearby nursing home, apartment complex and West Middle School had also caught fire. Anthony said she and her daughter were almost knocked down several blocks from the explosion.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/16787850/massive-explosion-texas-fertiliser-plant/

I wonder if it's in anyway connected to the Boston bomb blast?

[icyfroth]

That would've been a terrifying event, Maine.

[carly2579]

my heart goes out to the victims how  scary

[lakeland27]

the plant was on fire already. the first responders mentioned would be fire / hazmat type crews.

they produce bomb -making materials basically . these are often dangerous sites.

[icyfroth]

They're treating it as a crime scene, from this morning's news:

"Authorities do not yet know what caused the fire that led to the explosion, and as such are treating the plant as a crime scene and urging people to stay out of cordoned off areas."

[catsnknots]

This is such a sad sad story... 😞

[izabsmiling]

They're treating it as a crime scene, from this morning's news:

"Authorities do not yet know what caused the fire that led to the explosion, and as such are treating the plant as a crime scene and urging people to stay out of cordoned off areas."

http://www.timescolonist.com/crews-seek-survivors-bodies-after-texas-fertilizer-plant-explosion-deat...

There was no indication the blast, which sent up a mushroom-shaped plume of smoke and left behind a crater, was anything other than an industrial accident, he said.

[polksaladallie]

I heard a discussion as to why the number of fatalities has not been disclosed.  Because of the ferocity of the explosions, some people might never be found, and some other bodies might not be whole and the forensic investigations will take a long time.  So it will be some time before the final count is known.  Very tragic.

[debra9275]

I read last night that they found 12 bodies at the plant but what you're saying would be right polka

the plant was there first before all the buildings around it, so why were developers able to build so close to it is what I'd like to know. Also they say no safety check had been carried out on that plant since 1985  😮

[topsidesoul]

😮

try reading.

"A massive explosion has ripped through a fertiliser plant in West, Texas, possibly leaving 60-70 people dead including first responders."

😮

Good thing you pulled this person up on their mistake  with an incorrect number killed.

[jimmy*part4]

yes, you're right, my apologies.

:8}