TX - Fertilizer plant explodes in West, Texas

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The Mayor (who is also a volunteer firefighter) has no house, it was "obliterated."
 
The Waco LE is giving a press conference. He doesn't want to give the number of fatalities until it is confirmed. He said this quote: "We are still pulling people out". That sounds like getting bodies out of homes, not evacuating people to me.
 
Okay, sorry so long. This is most of the press conference.


Sgt Swanton - spokesman for Waco

Still a lot of unknowns but will try to answer everything.

To bring everyone up to speed.

About 6pm there was a fire at West Fertilizer.
Their fire dept responded, numerous firefighters went to the scene.
They realized the seriousness of what they had because it was a fertilizer plant.
They immediately started evacuation homes and businesses.

Approximately 50 minutes after their response there was a massive explosion.

In process of removing from homes, nursing homes and apartment complex.
There is quite a bit of devastation in that area.
Victims from homes and nursing homes and 50 unit apartment complex.

Once they started trying to clear the injured out there was a tremendous response from LE agencies (lists them.)
Many ambulance companies and medical people also responded and are still here.

Most wounded are being taken to Abbott area, local hospital.
Abbott is where everyone is being evacuated to based on the ongoing danger of fires.

Just talked to commander on the ground in the scene.
Extreme devastation in homes and businesses.
They are still getting injured folks out and evacuating people.
There HAVE been fatalities but will not confirm a number.
Those fatalities WILL increase as we get closer to the morning.

Hillcrest Hospital is where the majority were taken, Providence is where the overflow were taken.

At this time we are still trying to evacuate some of the homes and businesses.
Being very cautious because there is structural damage to homes and businesses, gas lines.
Gas and power is being cut now.

This has taken a toll on the Mayor because he knows he's potentially lost some firefighters.
Confirming that firefighters and one law enforcement officer are unaccounted for.

As soon as we get a hard number on fatality count we will get you that.
Yes people WERE trapped in homes and I think they will find more trapped through the night.

Utilities have been shut off even outside the immediate blast area.
Tremendous amount of resources from outside the community.

Significant winds and will switch to the north about 7am.
Still trying to get people out and get them to help, injured or not.

He has NOT heard the number 70 fatalities.

City Manager unaccounted for? I can't verify that.
We don't know the numbers yet, they are still pulling victims out and bringing them to triage.
We don't want to guess and want to be very specific.

I saw homes that were burning, homes that had significant devastation, some homes were leveled.
Almost like a tornado, one house would be fine, the next leveled.

"Are there more than ZERO confirmed dead?"

Yes, I'm confirming there is fatalities I just can't give you a number.

Possibly a helicopter on scene that sustained damage.

Any indication as to the cause of the fire??
NO. They will look at whether it was criminal or chemical.

Air quality is a concern, people are looking at that.

No idea how many might potentially be trapped.
It is going into a mid sized city and having to search home by home, business by business, block by block.
Tedious process and have to be very careful.

No confirmation on any deaths at the nursing home.

Estimate on square blocks or number of structures leveled? No, I can't.

Something about maybe crosses on the houses and the colors they are?
Those are used to clear the houses, don't know what the colors mean?

Please stay away, it is NOT safe.

Hopefully in the morning we will give you much more detail.
 
I think it is a great sign that they were already evacuating people and had 1-2 hours to evacuate... maybe that saved some lives!!!

I say 1-2 hours because the explosion as registered at 7:53pm... if the fire started at 6pm that was 1 hour and 50 minutes... not 50 minutes.

Hopefully they had that much time. :please:

(Now I gotta go feed the horses before the wake up the neighbors!)
 
Caught some of the presser on CNN, and noted the ticker across the bottom said "30+" fire departments on the scene. Also, heard or read (can't remember) that HazMat teams are enroute.

Also, there is a concern about a change in the weather in the next few hours.
 
I heard the county EMS med. director say 60-70 dead. The reporter on the phone cornered him and he confirmed that number of dead more than once, I hope he's wrong. The local hospitals aren't reporting any deaths yet. On the other hand at an MCI, the DRT's are just tagged and left where they lay. I hope there are no more fatalities. Anhydrous ammonia is nasty, lethal stuff. It is heavier than air, and displaces the air in your lungs.
Anyone in the area, stay safe.
 
What a tragedy. I bet in the daylight tomorrow it will be devastating news. It appears the entire little town was decimated. :rose: :star: :rose:
 
PHB said:
I heard the county EMS med. director say 60-70 dead. The reporter on the phone cornered him and he confirmed that number of dead more than once, I hope he's wrong. The local hospitals aren't reporting any deaths yet. On the other hand at an MCI, the DRT's are just tagged and left where they lay. I hope there are no more fatalities. Anhydrous ammonia is nasty, lethal stuff. It is heavier than air, and displaces the air in your lungs.
Anyone in the area, stay safe.
Click to expand...

Yeah nobody else has confirmed that, but I would be shocked if it's lower than that.
Though I am encouraged that they started to evacuate before the explosion...

I'm still guessing that with 80 houses, 50 apartments, cars on the road,
a nursing home with 130 people plus the first responders...

"Only" 70 deaths would be nothing short of miraculous, unfortunately. :please:
 
eileenhawkeye said:
The Waco LE is giving a press conference. He doesn't want to give the number of fatalities until it is confirmed. He said this quote: "We are still pulling people out". That sounds like getting bodies out of homes, not evacuating people to me.
Click to expand...

That's what it sounds like to me too.
 
Horrible. :( Prayers to all.

Any scientist types here who can comment on the environmental exposure aspects, as related to weather conditions and its potential travel and radius of effect, etc...(heard a storm is moving in?)...I guess what I'm trying to ask...does this dissipate, absorb, etc. etc...(trying to educate myself on this as we speak, way over my head).

Would people in neighboring cities need to be worried and take precautionary measures (staying indoors, etc.)?

*************************************

"What is anhydrous ammonia?
By CNN Staff
updated 2:11 AM EDT, Thu April 18, 2013

"Firefighters at the scene of a massive fertilizer plant explosion in Texas were concerned Wednesday night about anhydrous ammonia.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anhydrous ammonia is a pungent gas with suffocating fumes that is used as a fertilizer.
When exposed to humans, it can cause various problems"

[video=cnn;bestoftv/2013/04/18/pmt-texas-fertilizer-mayor-muska-bpr.cnn]http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/17/us/anhydrous-ammonia-dangers/index.html[/video]


****************************************
Ammonia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
I expect there to be a lot of controversy over why in the world was a fertilizer plant located right in a town, near a middle school and a nursing home. I'm hearing that Texas has very lax zoning laws, but I guess that's obvious. I am also reading comments involving business regulation and Governor Perry, but that is just people's opinions, and it's getting into political territory. Also, hearing things about the plant not being inspected in about 5 years or having fires in recent years, etc. Basically, even if there was no foul play in the fire, I don't expect this to just be a simple "Accidents happen" thing...Huge outrage/controversy is going to rise from why this plant was located where it was.
 
"West, Texas

Current Conditions

Temp: 75° Dew Point: 69° Humidity: 82% Wind: South 23 mph Visibility: 6.0 miles Pressure: 29.62 in. - Sky: Haze"

"Nowcast as of 3:12 am CDT on April 18, 2013

Now
The leading edge of a band of showers and thunderstorms was along a cold front that extended from Gainesville to just west of Weatherford to Coleman at 3 am. The front and these storms will move east at 35 mph. These storms will move to east of a Bonham to Dallas to Goldthwaite by 530 am. Cloud to ground lighting...small hail and wind gusts over 40 mph will accompany some of the storms. A few storms may briefly become severe...producing hail to the size of quarters. Otherwise...temperatures will fall about 20 degrees and winds will gust over 40 mph as the front passes. Showers and thunderstorms will then continue for a couple of hours behind the front. "

******************************************

From weather.com:

"Forecast for TodayUpdated: Apr 18, 3:25am CDT

74°F
FEELS LIKE 74°
65°
HIGH
38°
LOW
Cloudy / Windy
Strong Storms / Wind
Clear
Past 24-hr Precip:
0 in
Chance of Rain
80%
Chance of Precip
0%
Next 6 Hours:
Scattered showers and thunderstorms developing by early morning. Cloudy with strong winds. Temperatures steady in the upper 60s. S winds shifting to WSW at 25 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 45%. Hourly Details

Today:
Windy... strong thunderstorms during the morning followed by a few showers this afternoon. Storms may produce large hail and strong winds. High around 65F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 80%.

Tonight:
Mostly clear. Low 38F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph.
 
It is. I'm a Texas girl too. Big Baylor Bears fan. It is about to storm like crazy. Lots of rain and a 20 degree drop in temperature.
 
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