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Huge Blast at Texas Fertilizer Plant Injures Over 100 Huge Blast at Texas Fertilizer Plant Kills at Least 5 People
(about 1 hour later)
WEST, Tex. — A huge explosion tore through a fertilizer plant near West, a town in central Texas on Wednesday night, killing at least 5 people, injuring more than 100 others, laying waste to swathes of buildings and potentially sending toxic fumes into the air, authorities said. WEST, Tex. — The search continued Thursday morning for survivors of a huge explosion that tore through a fertilizer plant in a small central Texas town on Wednesday night, killing as many as 15 people and injuring more than 160 others, laying waste to swathes of buildings and potentially sending toxic fumes into the air, the authorities said.
The explosion, in the quiet town of fewer than 3,000, ripped through the night at around 8 p.m. local time, said Representative Bill Flores, a Republican who represents the district. In the explosion, in the quiet town of West, homes and businesses were leveled and there was widespread destruction in the downtown area, Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton of the Waco Police Department said Thursday morning.
It began with a smaller fire at the plant, West Fertilizer, just off Interstate 35, about 20 miles north of Waco, Mr. Flores said, which was attended by local volunteer firefighters. “The fire spread and hit some of these tanks that contain chemicals to treat the fertilizer,” Mr. Flores said, “and there was an explosion which caused wide damage.” “At some point this will turn into a recovery operation, but at this point, we are still in search and rescue,” he said.
Videos posted online showed a large fire, visible from hundreds of yards away, followed by a fireball that blasted high into the sky and, according to television footage, set fires burning into the night. Sgt. Patrick Swanton of the Waco police said “5 to 15” people were believed to have died in the blast, with other police officials saying many more people were injured. Five to 15 people were killed and more than 160 people were being treated at area hospitals, Sergeant Swanton said, while also emphasizing that those early estimates could change. As many as five firefghters are still missing, he said.
“Right now we have a tremendous amount of injuries, probably over 100 injuries at this time,” D.L. Wilson, a state trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety, told reporters at a press conference early Thursday morning. There is no evidence indicating criminal activity, Sergeant Swanton said, “but we’re not ruling that out.”
It began with a smaller fire at the plant, West Fertilizer, just off Interstate 35, about 20 miles north of Waco, said Representative Bill Flores, which was attended by local volunteer firefighters. “The fire spread and hit some of these tanks that contain chemicals to treat the fertilizer,” Mr. Flores said, “and there was an explosion which caused wide damage.”
Videos posted online showed a large fire, visible from hundreds of yards away, followed by a fireball that blasted high into the sky and, according to television footage, set fires burning into the night.
“Right now we have a tremendous amount of injuries,” D.L. Wilson, a state trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety, said early Thursday morning.
He compared the destruction to Iraq war scenes and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, an act of terrorism using explosives made from fertilizer. “I can tell you I was there, I walked through the blast area, I searched some houses earlier tonight. It was massive, just like Iraq, just like the Murrah building in Oklahoma City.”He compared the destruction to Iraq war scenes and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, an act of terrorism using explosives made from fertilizer. “I can tell you I was there, I walked through the blast area, I searched some houses earlier tonight. It was massive, just like Iraq, just like the Murrah building in Oklahoma City.”
As many as 75 houses were damaged and buildings were reduced to skeletons, he said. A nursing home, with 133 residents was among those hit. The fate of those within it was, like so much on the scene, not immediately clear. The mayor of West, Tommy Muska, said in brief televised remarks that 50 to 60 houses in a five-block area were heavily damaged, said that search and rescue teams worked through the night. A nursing home, with 133 residents was among those hit. The fate of those within it was, like so much on the scene, not immediately clear.
“We’re a little bit in the fog of war right now,” Mr. Flores said.“We’re a little bit in the fog of war right now,” Mr. Flores said.
Mr. Wilson, and other local officials, told reporters that half of the town had been evacuated because of fears of toxic fumes being spread by heavy winds. First responders continued to search “house-by-house,” he said. Mr. Wilson and other local officials told reporters that half of the town had been evacuated because of fears of toxic fumes being spread by heavy winds. First responders continued to search “house-by-house,” he said.
An enormous triage area had been set up, and television footage showed dozens, perhaps more than 100, emergency vehicles attending to huddled casualties under blankets and on stretchers.An enormous triage area had been set up, and television footage showed dozens, perhaps more than 100, emergency vehicles attending to huddled casualties under blankets and on stretchers.
At the edge of that triage area near a baseball field shortly before midnight, dozens of emergency and law enforcement personnel – state troopers, firefighters, constables, sheriff’s deputies – awaited for the injured to be brought in. Here in the dark of night miles from the plant, no one was certain what had happened, or how many were injured.At the edge of that triage area near a baseball field shortly before midnight, dozens of emergency and law enforcement personnel – state troopers, firefighters, constables, sheriff’s deputies – awaited for the injured to be brought in. Here in the dark of night miles from the plant, no one was certain what had happened, or how many were injured.
A nurse at the McLennan County jail stood by his car, dressed in scrubs, stethoscope around his neck. “Right now they’re in the process of doing search and rescue,” said the correctional nurse, Glen Stephens. “I saw something on the news, and got a couple of phone calls. The director of nursing at our facility sent out a text to all the nurses, and there’s quite a few of us here.”A nurse at the McLennan County jail stood by his car, dressed in scrubs, stethoscope around his neck. “Right now they’re in the process of doing search and rescue,” said the correctional nurse, Glen Stephens. “I saw something on the news, and got a couple of phone calls. The director of nursing at our facility sent out a text to all the nurses, and there’s quite a few of us here.”
A few steps away, a man in a pick-up truck pulled up to a state trooper directing traffic. “Volunteers?” he asked the state trooper, and he was directed down the road.A few steps away, a man in a pick-up truck pulled up to a state trooper directing traffic. “Volunteers?” he asked the state trooper, and he was directed down the road.
A few miles to the north of West, the school gymnasium in the town of Abbott was converted into an emergency shelter for evacuees who lived near the plant. But at 3 a.m. Thursday, the nearly 100 cots were empty, and dozens of volunteers, including teenaged students and faculty, waited for a rush of people that never came. Bottles of water sat in bundled packages outside the school, untouched.A few miles to the north of West, the school gymnasium in the town of Abbott was converted into an emergency shelter for evacuees who lived near the plant. But at 3 a.m. Thursday, the nearly 100 cots were empty, and dozens of volunteers, including teenaged students and faculty, waited for a rush of people that never came. Bottles of water sat in bundled packages outside the school, untouched.
Rodney Watson, the chief deputy for the Hill County sheriff’s office, said he believed those who were evacuated were staying with friends or relatives. “Right now, there’s not a whole lot that can be done,” he said. “They got the fire contained, and there’s no immediate danger with the chemicals or anything. There’s no haz-mat situation.”Rodney Watson, the chief deputy for the Hill County sheriff’s office, said he believed those who were evacuated were staying with friends or relatives. “Right now, there’s not a whole lot that can be done,” he said. “They got the fire contained, and there’s no immediate danger with the chemicals or anything. There’s no haz-mat situation.”
The Red Cross in the Dallas and Fort Worth region said in a statement posted online that it had crews on the way to help. Red Cross workers were looking for a safe place to shelter residents who had been displaced from their homes.The Red Cross in the Dallas and Fort Worth region said in a statement posted online that it had crews on the way to help. Red Cross workers were looking for a safe place to shelter residents who had been displaced from their homes.
“We are monitoring developments and gathering information as details continue to emerge about this incident,” Gov. Rick Perry said in a statement late Wednesday. “We have also mobilized state resources to help local authorities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of West and the first responders on the scene.”“We are monitoring developments and gathering information as details continue to emerge about this incident,” Gov. Rick Perry said in a statement late Wednesday. “We have also mobilized state resources to help local authorities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of West and the first responders on the scene.”

Christine Hauser contributed reporting from New York.