A fire broke out at West Fertilizer Company near Waco, Texas around six in the evening on Wednesday. As fire fighters were fighting the blaze and getting people to safety, a huge explosion occurred nearly an hour later that rocked the whole town of nearly 2,600 people.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlGtTCt05kc
According to witnesses, it was almost like a nuclear blast, with debris, shrapnel and burning embers flying and raining down on everything. The blast registered a magnitude of 2.1, which could be considered a minor earthquake. It flattened the whole fertilizer plant, and destroyed houses and buildings in the vicinity.
The plant is located near a nursing home, a school and residential area.
Casualties
Sergeant William Patrick Swanton of the Waco Police Department said that about 5 to 15 people have perished in the blast. Hundreds of people in the small town were being treated in clinics and hospitals for various injuries. They are still conducting search and rescue operations so a more accurate figure cannot be given out yet. Some of the missing includes three fire fighters. As of this moment authorities believe that the explosion was an industrial accident and they still have to conduct in-depth investigation to know the real reason behind the explosion.
The levelled-down factory is still smoldering but Sergeant Swanton said that the fire is almost under control early Thursday morning and there were some minor looting around the area, which concerns them.
Volatile materials
The fertilizer plant is said to contain about 20 tons or 54,000 lbs. of anhydrous ammonia. Authorities have confirmed that the plant has the same materials that were used as fuel to the bomb that destroyed Oklahoma’s Murrah Federal Building in 1995.
Video by fundooit
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