Massive Explosion at Texas Fertilizer Plant
A massive explosion at a fertilizer plant in the southwestern U.S. state of Texas Wednesday evening has injured dozens of people and left an unknown number of people dead.
Local firefighters were battling a fire at the plant in the town of West, located just outside the city of Waco, when the blast occurred.
D.L. Wilson, an official with the Texas Department of Public Safety, says between 50-75 houses near the plant were destroyed, and that many residents were injured.
"I can tell you I was there. I walked through the blast area, I searched some houses earlier tonight. Massive, just like Iraq, just like the Murray building in Oklahoma City. Same kind of anhydrous exploded, so you can imagine what kind of damage we're looking at there," he said.
Various news outlets have said at three people have been killed, but authorities will not give an exact number. An official with the Waco police department says some firefighters are missing.
Many residents of the community were evacuated, including a nursing home with over 100 residents. Emergency crews are still conducting a house-to-house search within the blast area to find anyone who may still be trapped.
Authorities did not say how the initial fire started at the plant.
A nearby high school football field was turned into emergency staging area to treat the victims.
Texas Governor Rick Perry says state resources have been mobilized to provide assistance to local authorities. Emergency crews from dozens of nearby towns and counties traveled to West to assist with the response.
Source: Voice of America
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