TX - Fertilizer plant explodes in West, Texas

[MsFacetious]

This has been the most comprehensive coverage so far.

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/


The live stream will be back in 45 minutes.

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/category/234333/live

 

[margarita25]

This has been the most comprehensive coverage so far.

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/


The live stream will be back in 45 minutes.

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/category/234333/live

Freaky, there's a chat room on the stream page.

 

[margarita25]

I can't imagine what all these people are going through right now! The residents and all the responders, police, fire, medical... It's going to be a long long night for all, and long road ahead for many of these poor folks.

Glad to hear they are getting all the help they need. Really brave folks to remain in that potentially explosive and toxic stew, working the buildings and trying to pull people out. All the people helping at the shelters, etc., people offering strangers a place to stay...

 

[margarita25]

We're back on live.

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/category/234333/live

"Firefighters throughtout the night going door to door, pulling out bodies..."

 

[margarita25]

Live briefing in a moment
http://www.myfoxdfw.com/category/234333/live

 

[margarita25]

Here are some tidbits from the live presser. I'm doing my best to transcribe as we go until we get more word in the morning and for those who can't turn on the volume and wake up the hubbies (not to mention all the networks' fiascos today in the Boston Marathon thread re: suspect arrested; I'm not sure I'd trust the networks' anyway after today, haha! I'm going to go by what I hear from the presser with my own ears!)


Disclaimer: This is not an official MSM report, but rather my attempt at an abbreviated live transcription of the live press conference going on now. Some is paraphrased.

Spokesperson for Waco PD: "Still in search and rescue phase, going door to door, house to house, business to business...We know right now that MSD is on scene along with ATF... other local gov't agencies. This is a crime scene. We are not indicating that this is a crime, but we do not know...until we know otherwise (industrial accident), we will treat it as such (crime scene)....3 to 5 Firefighters missing as of now...homes and businesses leveled...search and rescue will continue for some time...at some point this will turn into a recovery operation, but we are still in search and rescue...Mayor will brief at 10am (or some city official)...ATF will start working as a crime scene...nothing indicates criminal activity but we are absolutely not ruling this out...will keep an open mind...anywhere from 5 to 15 casualties."

Uggggh, this reporter is talking over the press conference!!!!!!!!!!! What an idiot! Omg, now they just cut off the presser in the middle. Not Cool.

The reporters are already screwing up / misquoting the numbers of casualties just mentioned a few seconds ago! Is today official reporter screwup day?

***********

Ok, the pc is back on, missed half of it, dang! Thanks a lot reporter!


Paraphrasing/ "ATF will bring explosive dogs as well as search dogs..."

I like this guy, the Spokesperson for Waco PD. I think he's doing a good job!

 

[Wolf Dreamer]

Oh my gosh, I'm just catching up on this, didn't catch it before I went to bed. I wish the press would understand that treating it as a crime scene just makes so much more sense resource-wise. They want it to be a terrorist attack but it could be a crime without that, negligence in maintaining equipment etc.

 

[SilkySifaka]

he also mentioned the time frame changed, iirc 730 they went to fight the fire, at 750 the explosion occurred

 

[Wolf Dreamer]

How long until it's daylight over there?

 

[Hilda Swenson]

FOX reporting 5-15 dead, majority first responders.

 

[SilkySifaka]

How long until it's daylight over there?

probably at 6 their time.

 

[Sharyne]

How long until it's daylight over there?

http://www.wunderground.com/q/zmw:76691.1.99999

Actual Time 6:56 AM CDT
Civil Twilight 6:30 AM CDT
Nautical Twilight 6:01 AM CDT

 

[Sporky]

http://www.dallasnews.com/

Although authorities confirmed that at least five to 15 people had died, shortly before 5 a.m. they were still saying they did not have an official total. They have said they expect to find more bodies as they continue to search the area.

 

[margarita25]

We'll see what the wind does around 7.

 

[sweetcaro]

So terrible. I can only imagine loss of life will be high given the damage done. So sad, so awful, so tragic.

 

[Sillybilly]

FWIW, I recall from the presser late last nite or early this morning, Sgt Swanton said that the fire in proximity to the "other" tank was either out or under control. Hopefully that prevents any further catastrophic incident ... bad enough as it is

 

[Softail]

West plant blast labeled 'crime scene'

More than 160 hurt in fertilizer plant explosion

Updated: Thursday, 18 Apr 2013, 5:50 AM CDT
Published : Thursday, 18 Apr 2013, 5:04 AM CDT
Jackie Vega

WEST, Texas (KXAN/AP) - Officials in West, Texas, are labeling the deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant that left more than 160 hurt a crime scene.

"What that means to us is: Until we know that it is an industrial accident, we will work it as a crime scene," said Waco Police Sgt. William Patrick Swanton during a press conference around 4:40 a.m. "I have heard no indications that this is anything other than an accidental fire."

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives officials are investigating the explosion at the plant, while the McLennan County Sheriff's Office is investigating the deaths from the Wednesday night explosion.

Swanton said they were still unsure of the number of deaths so far but offered a rough estimate of anywhere between five- and 15 people.


http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/texas/west-plant-blast-labeled-crime-scene

 

[Sillybilly]

Officials offered differing figures for the death toll, with Sgt. William Patrick Swanton of the nearby Waco Police Department saying between five and 15 people had died.

But fire officials fear that the number of casualties could rise as high as 60 to 70 dead, said Dr. George Smith, the emergency management system director of the city.

from:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/18/us/texas-explosion/index.html

 

[Foxfire]

As a retired Capt AFD Haz Mat #5, there has been many devastating ammonia nitrate/fertilizer explosions in shipyards in the past.

Imo, the explosion was due to the ammonia nitrate; fertilizer, due to the magnitude of the blast. The anhydrous ammonia is used in the manufacture of fertilizer. The super heated gas cloud was a result of the blast..
SOP says that the fire will be considered a crime scene until arson, foul play, etc. is ruled out. Expect the worst and hope for the best, public safety rule. When anhydrous ammonia mixes with moisture in the lungs it can cause respiratory failure. "Anhydrous" means "without water". When ammonia gas is dissolved in water, the resulting material is ammonium hydroxide or "aqua" ammonia.

http://www.local1259iaff.org/disaster.html

The Texas City Disaster

April 16, 1947

 

[keeponsearching]

Sad morning