Explosion hits fertilizer plant north of Waco, Texas

[morosco]

Posted: 4/17/13 at 11:14pm

(CNN) -- An explosion ripped through a fertilizer plant Wednesday night in the town of West, Texas, sending a massive fireball into the sky and causing dozens of injuries, officials said.

A hospital in nearby Waco, Texas, has been told to anticipate 100 injured people coming in from the fertilizer plant area, an official at the medical facility said.

Glenn Robinson, CEO of Hillcrest Hospital, said a field triage station was being set up on a football field near the plant some 18 miles north of Waco after the Wednesday night explosion.
Explosion hits fertilizer plant north of Waco, Texas

[ACL2006]

Posted: 4/17/13 at 11:36pm

prayers go out to everyone in and around Waco, TX.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 12:21am

A soon as I heard this I sent a text to my friend who lives in Flatonia which is about an hour and a half away. She said all the houses in a four block radius are decimated.

So sorry for the workers and their families.

[Yawper]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 12:22am

blast was felt as far as 75 miles away in Arlington

firefighters were on scene at the time fighting a fire - most are now unaccounted for

many businesses and homes damaged or destroyed

the city is West, Texas - about 18 miles north of Waco, ~75 miles south of Dallas/Forth Worth

[Nettik]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 12:49am

Most of the firefighters at the scene are unaccounted for. There have been multiple explosions. Very, very sad all around.

40 of the injured are in critical condition.

https://twitter.com/YourAnonNews

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 12:53am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROrpKx3aIjA&feature=player_embedded

:o

[Nettik]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 12:57am

That was terrifying. I can't imagine being there.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 1:11am

That video right there is why rubbernecking and filming accidents is such a bad idea. No reason to put his daughter in danger like that. I actually cried when he so casually commented that someone had jumped out the window. This is not a spectator sport. The people trapped in the factory were scared for their lives and this guy's being cavalier about it. Disgusting.

I pray for workers, the rescue crews, their families, and those who lost their homes.

[Yawper]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 1:15am

there's still smoldering & small fires at the facility but the firefighters can't get in to quench them due to airborne chemicals - surrounding areas have been evacuated

there is a large amount of chemicals in storage but authorities don't seem to be overly concerned about potential for another blast

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 8:41am

'Like a nuclear bomb': Deadly fertilizer plant blast devastates Texas town

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 2:19pm

My oldest son called from Ft. Worth to say you could barely feel the impact, But he saw the smoke stack rising to the sky from that far away.

They also had a shooter alert in the sister campus where he works in Tarrant County, yesterday. If it's not tornados, it's winds and damagining hail in Dallas. Makes a mother ...crazy!

This has not been a good start to this week!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 6:13pm

And isn't it lovely that TX Republican Congressmen that voted AGAINST funds for the victims of Sandy have already asked for $$ to help with this even though the plant is privately owned.

I feel terrible for the people involved certainly, but I am talking about chutzpah here. The whole, the government shouldn't be counted on to step in -- unless is affects me, is just shameful.


and I mean to ask: Has there been anything new on this story? Here in Boston the news is all about the bombing suspects.

Updated On: 4/19/13 at 06:13 PM

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 6:20pm

Eris, I saw the video and I heard an interview of the gentleman who had his daughter in the car. Hearing his explanation makes me even angrier that he put his life and his daughter's life in danger. He had so little perspective of just how dumb it was for what he did with exception of mentioning defensively, 'There were other people CLOSER!!!'

Updated On: 4/19/13 at 06:20 PM

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 4/19/13 at 6:21pm

ThinkProgress has a report that the plant hadn't been inspected since 1985, but then there's an update that said it was cited in 2011. Not sure what the official story is.

This picture was posted on reddit. So much for zoning laws, huh?

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/20/13 at 12:08am

Eris, I saw the video and I heard an interview of the gentleman who had his daughter in the car. Hearing his explanation makes me even angrier that he put his life and his daughter's life in danger. He had so little perspective of just how dumb it was for what he did with exception of mentioning defensively, 'There were other people CLOSER!!!'

I'll just never understand this phenomenon. Whenever I'm in NYC and there's a police car/ambulance/fire engine I see people standing around with their phones out. I always make sure to get by as quickly as possible because I don't know what the situation is. Hanging around could put me in danger or impede the responders from doing their job. Someone in trouble isn't a tourist event and isn't something you need to remember.

And are we so desensitized that someone jumping out a window has so little impact emotionally? Is it something to be excited about seeing now?

I've taken some flack on my opinion on this but I stand by it.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/20/13 at 12:19am

Has there been anything new on this story? Here in Boston the news is all about the bombing suspects.


Explosion hits fertilizer plant north of Waco, Texas

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/20/13 at 12:59am

I'm in Dallas right now and the news seems to be minimal.

I left the TV on in my hotel room and was surprised to see that the rescuers were heading home at about 2 am, the night of the explosion, because it was 'pitch black', whatever that means. I was wondering why they weren't bringing in lights.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/20/13 at 1:05am

because it was 'pitch black', whatever that means. I was wondering why they weren't bringing in lights.

I recall hearing that there were still chemicals in the air. Perhaps they were concerned about anything electrical setting them off?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/20/13 at 1:30am

Could be...they could have said something on the news. It just came across, to me, as 'well, it's getting late. We'll just head home and get some rest and be back in the morning.'

If I knew my co-workers might be trapped, I'd stay all night and use a flash light.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/20/13 at 6:40am

Eris -- I think it has to do with the idea that people feel the need to make everything about "us". What "I" saw, how "I" felt, what "I" documented. I can't tell you how many studens (and one of my own children) cannot EVER not commandeer any conversation and turn it around so that it's a story about them.


I think this is all too evident every day: the banal FB posts; constant selfies; snap chat; the inability to put a cell phone away while with friends, eating dinner, watching tv....the list is endless.

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 4/20/13 at 3:26pm

Diva: midnight in the middle of Texas and midnight in LA are vastly different. Even with a full moon, you can't see much, especially if clouds are present.

I grew up an hour and some north of Dallas.

[Yawper]

Posted: 4/20/13 at 7:16pm

"surprised to see that the rescuers were heading home at about 2 am, the night of the explosion, because it was 'pitch black', whatever that means. I was wondering why they weren't bringing in lights."

It means they were in recovery mode, not rescue mode.