TX - Fertilizer plant explodes in West, Texas

[Softail]

Very sad morning indeed.

From my local news this morning, it looks like blood is needed. Also, bad weather is moving in to the area.

Here are local news channels from Austin:

Fox - http://www.myfoxaustin.com/

ABC - http://www.kvue.com/

NBC - http://www.kxan.com/subindex/news

 

[SurfieTX]

Local scuttlebutt is that the plant is owned by an Egyptian company, and when it was bought by them (not sure when), the locals were not pleased. Also of note is that there is an ammunition plant about 10 miles away.

 

[alwaysonmymind]

Cold rain and high winds moving into area now.

Thoughts and prayers with the community.

 

[SailorMoon]

Just read that about 40% of the town of West is of Czech ancestry.

I'd say more than that. They have a big festival and are very famous for their kolaches.

This morning, it is a good 30 degrees cooler here than yesterday, feel so sorry for them, no homes, no nothing. Waiting for daylight to see what it looks like. Have a soccer tourney in Waco the first of May, will wait til then to check out West.

 

[Softail]

Press Conference scheduled for 11:45 this morning.

 

[SailorMoon]

All I know is that it took forever from when we heard/felt the blast here, it took forever for news crews to get down there. Just waiting that hour or so was awful. Raining and dark here right now, rain will help with any toxic clouds down there.

 

[SailorMoon]

My stars a huge bolt of lightning just hit the field across the street from me. Unbelievable. Just freaky stuff going on!! I saw it hit, straight to the ground. Dogs are going nuts!!

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

I'm local (actually live about 15 miles away), but have many friends that live in West. Mr. DD is a Waco Fire Fighter, and although he didn't get called in to assist, Waco Fire Dept has 6-7 fire fighters that live in West. He said several, not surprisingly, also volunteer in their local fire dept. We saw one of them on TV last night, helping with victims, so we know Cody is okay.


This is a copy of an email I just sent to my mother and sister, who were wanting an update and were concerned about Mr DD.

Morning,

(**Mr DD) did not get called in. He is concerned, as Waco FD has 6-7 fire fighters that live in West, that also are part of their local volunteer FD up in West (and of course, their families/home are there…he’ll hear more today). He knows one is okay, as we saw him on TV last night helping load ambulances.

I was pretty irritated last night when a local EMS spokesperson, less than 3 hrs after the blast, said he thought there’d be 60-70 fatalities…that is way too soon to be stating that…and then I hear this morning that they’re estimating 5-15, but number going higher as daylight hits. The West City Manager, as of an hour ago, is still “missing.” Not good. They expect 5 fire fighters and one West Police Officer were killed.

I have some friends (from my DPS girls days) that live in West, and all their extended families live in West. I have heard my friends and their families are okay, but one friend’s parents and brother in law’s homes are destroyed.

Am trying to get to the blood bank this afternoon. I’ve been driving around for days with a donation bag of stuff to the family abuse thrift store – but they’re now calling for clothing, baby supplies, etc for displaced people, so I can drop off my stuff this afternoon to one of the apartment complexes collecting items.

A storm is just coming in – heavy rain here, they said on the radio that it’s just rolling in to West, and hail is just north of there, and winds are sustained at 20-25mph, with gusts of over 30mph. Our temp this morning was 71+, and is now drastically dropping and will be low 50’s by noon. Heavy rain isn’t going to help search and rescue this morning . The winds have shifted and is now blowing towards Waco, but air quality guru’s are telling those of us here that although it’s blowing the chemicals this way, our air quality will be within safe ranges.

So sad. It’s a small rural community – truly one where everyone knows everyone. Mary, you would have driven by it on I-35 to/from Dallas airport. It’s known as a great “pit stop” area because they have great Czech food (kolaches, etc.). Primarily Czech community.

Did snicker a little this morning when the 5:30am press conference had a cow “moo’ing” in the background.


As in that email, the weather is getting nasty, which is not going to be good for search and rescue personnel.

- - - - - -

Here's our favorite local news:

http://www.kwtx.com/

 

[Softail]

Witness: Texas plant blast lifted my truck off the ground


Scott Stump and Eun Kyung Kim TODAY

29 minutes ago

A dad shooting video within 300 yards of the West, Texas fertilizer explosion late Wednesday night described a frightening aftermath of the deadly blast.

“It was a pretty horrific scene, some of the injuries we saw,’’ Derrick Hurtt told Matt Lauer on TODAY Thursday. “There was probably double-digit people standing in front of me videoing that were close than I was, and after the blast, they were nowhere to be seen.”

At least five to 15 people were killed and more than 160 wounded in the explosion, according to local police. Firefighters were battling the fire when the explosion caused a ground tremor equivalent to a magnitude-2.1 earthquake, according to the United States Geological Service.


http://www.today.com/news/witness-texas-plant-blast-lifted-my-truck-ground-1C9503042

 

[Fairynuff]

:thud:

LOL *picks kimster off floor*

 

[SailorMoon]

Been watching local news, have any helicopters been up yet showing anything? That's what I'm waiting on. I don't know how anything is still standing.

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

At this point I would guess that he is estimating.

It is too early for a count. They are still fighting the fire and doing evacs. Even with the added personnel from surrounding counties that is where they are working. And there is no way they can say how many dead until they actually get in there. And right now they can't get close.

You've got some common sense ^^^

I was really upset when he said that last night, not 3 hours after the fact. Way too early, and great way to panic more of the community! I was on FB in communications with my friends who live there and/or had family there, and they weren't sure what was going on yet, trying to track down family, etc. They hear this and just freak.

It was hard enough when they announced they thought 5 fire fighters and one LEO was killed - the FD is so small, and it was only 2 hours later, and I just thought about any of their family members that maybe didn't know yet, what a way to panic them more. It's that dang "public has a right to know" and people want to know the most updated info, but having worked as a first responder in the past, I have a real love/hate relationship with some of the media It's hard to be working scenes and trying to deal with some unprofessional media types. JMO and rant.

 

[Sonya610]

And there is no way they can say how many dead until they actually get in there. And right now they can't get close.

Sounds like they are focused on searching for "survivors" which means they don't have the time or manpower to collect/search for all of the dead or have an exact count.

 

[dog.gone.cute]

Morning,

THANK YOU ALL for thes updates !

I have a friend who lives appx. 50 miles east of West, Texas.

I finally spoke to her this morning, and she felt the explosion last night ... her fiance' is a volunteer FF in his town, and went over to West to help out last night ... both are okay!

I will check back here for updates later ...

lease:lease:lease: Sending many prayers ...

 

[GulfCoastKAT]

I was so put off by a network news anchor discussing who is accountable legally with a lawyer just now. Really? Let them finish search and rescue before we go there. The news could be more useful- like reminding people they need blood, donations like clothes, medicine, water, diapers, baby formula, etc.

 

[Soulmagent]

I keep looking at the footage and the google map of the town. I was just in Waco for my dads memorial service last month. Drove right by this plant.

I hope the 5-15 killed stays at those numbers. I would hate for that to become any higher. I cant stand that all the people of West and Waco have just lost a certain aspects of security in their communities. How do you get that back?

How do you start to feel safe anywhere when out of the blue your block explodes?

I am 1200 miles away now and this has devastated me ,I cannot imagine how horrifying this is for the town.

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

Glad you and Mr. DD are ok! I have to admit, watching the news this morning of this horrible tragedy - The livestock did make me giggle as well. Apparently they moved all of the media to this livestock area for shelter. The animals have been adding their own commentary all morning!

Thanks for sharing!

Glad it wasn't just me that heard the cows, LOL.

I already thought about the animals in the area, as well. The chemicals in the air, now falling on their food and water supplies.

 

[Soulmagent]

I was so put off by a network news anchor discussing who is accountable legally with a lawyer just now. Really? Let them finish search and rescue before we go there. The news could be more useful- like reminding people they need blood, donations like clothes, medicine, water, diapers, baby formula, etc.

Where are the displaced people being taken?

How much of the town has been asked to evacuate?

 

[SailorMoon]

I hear the cows now. Guess I'm just used to them so didn't even notice!! Poor woman on tv just left with no shoes, said a woman who saw her gave her shoes. I know I jumped up without my slides on last night and I always wear them.

 

[Softail]

2 paramedics among the dead in West


The death toll in the fertilizer plant could be as high as 15, including two paramedics, officials say.


http://www.kxan.com/subindex/news