Fertilizer plant explodes near Waco, Texas

[Grim Reaper]

A Fertilizer Plant Just Exploded Near Waco, Texas

Updated (11:42 p.m.): Several homes are on fire, and residents of a nearby retirement home are trapped inside after an explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, a small town near Waco. The cause of the explosion and extent of the damage is unclear, but the local Department of Public Safety says that a number of of people are severely injured. The explosion could be felt as far away as Dallas, which is nearly 100 miles away. (Scroll to the bottom of this post for a live feed from the local NBC affiliate.)

Witnesses nearby reported seeing a massive fireball rise from the site of the plant. It's all pretty scary for those nearby. "I said, 'This thing is going to blow' ... and I told my mom and dad to get in the car," one witness told the Waco Tribune. "I was standing next to my car with my fiancee, waiting for my parents to come out and [the plant] exploded. It knocked us into the car... Every house within about four blocks is blown apart."

Once again, little is known about the incident. A hazmat team and firefighters had been dispatched to the fertilizer plant after reports of a fire. Apparently the explosion occurred after they arrived, and several firefighters were injured. "There's nothing I can tell you other than that we've had an explosion," the West, Texas Fire Department told the press. "There are injuries, casualties, it's terrible." The CEO of the local Hillcrest Hospital said that they anticipate about 100 injured people.

With the recent terror attack in Boston, an explosion like this is certainly unsettling. But again, we don't yet know what caused the explosion, so don't jump to any conclusions. It is worth noting that this week is the 20th anniversary of the end of the deadly siege in Waco. This is a developing story, and we'll update you with new information as it flows in.

Apparently that video was taken from the school(!) parking lot a short distance away from the fertilizer plant.

And I've read that the estimates so far are 60-70 dead and several hundred injured.

[oldr_n_wsr]

And the hits just keep on coming.

[Lord Jim]

This is an awful situation. There are now 15 confirmed dead, but the toll is certain to rise. There have been reports the final number could be upwards of 70.

[Guinevere]

And the hits just keep on coming.

Just to be clear, there was a fire at the plant prior to the explosions --- near some of the ammonia storage. No idea what caused it, I do know there is serious severe weather in the area, it could have been a lightning strike.

Regardless, its awful. Poor Waco, they've had more than their share of troubles.

[Grim Reaper]

The fatalities have been revised downward to 5-15. They also had to evacuate all of West, Texas to avoid clouds of ammonia released by the explosion. There's also been reports of looters, can't have a tragedy without assholes trying to take advantage of it.

[dgs49]

In point of fact, we have "government regulation" to thank that this doesn't happen more often. There are hundreds of inherently dangerous industrial processes that can result in similar explosions all the time, but our neurotic attention to such things - as aided and abetted often by unions - prevent it from happening in the vast majority of cases.

As with the occasional successful terrorist attack, the curiosity is not that they happen, but that they don't happen more often.

[Lord Jim]

can't have a tragedy without assholes trying to take advantage of it.

Yes, while tragedies bring out heroic behavior in many, they also do inevitably bring out the assholes...

There hasn't been a lot of publicity about this, (understandably; nobody wants to give any creeps ideas) but I understand that within just a short time after the Boston bombings, the police started getting numerous phony bomb threats called in...

Just what the cops needed to be wasting their time on...

[oldr_n_wsr]

Just to be clear, there was a fire at the plant prior to the explosions --- near some of the ammonia storage.

I wasn't suggesting that some nutjob blew it up, just that one tragedy seems to be followed by one or more tragedies. 9/11 was followed by the anthrax asshole. Here we the ricin dickhead (although no deaths) after the Boston bombings and then this.

[Guinevere]

can't have a tragedy without assholes trying to take advantage of it.

Yes, while tragedies bring out heroic behavior in many, they also do inevitably bring out the assholes...

There hasn't been a lot of publicity about this, (understandably; nobody wants to give any creeps ideas) but I understand that within just a short time after the Boston bombings, the police started getting numerous phony bomb threats called in...

Just what the cops needed to be wasting their time on...

Yesterday after the incorrect information about a suspect being brought to the federal courthouse in Boston, with media and others swarming the place, they had a bomb threat and had to evacuate the building in the middle of the work day --- any ultimately only court personnel, no attorneys, no parties, no press, were let back in. Even that side of the harbor was shut down. Such a waste of time and energy, but as in the Murrah building in OKC, there is a day care in this building, and no one wanted a repeat . . .

[Lord Jim]

At the moment the area is being treated as a crime scene, but the authorities are saying:

Sgt Swanton said at least 160 people had been treated at various hospitals.

He said the blast site was being treated as a crime scene, but that this was procedural and he had "no indications this was anything other than an accidental fire".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22195495

[oldr_n_wsr]

I think I have more contempt for the people that call in phony bomb threats after a bombing than for the actual people who did the bombing. At least the bombers had the balls.


That's not in anyway meant to sympathize with the bombers, a slow death inside a pressure cooker would be fitting for them.

[Gob]

Ah huh huh!

An Elvis impersonator from Mississippi has been charged with sending a letter containing suspected ricin to US President Barack Obama.



Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, was detained on Wednesday after letters were found addressed to Mr Obama and a senator.

An attorney for Mr Curtis said her client was surprised by the arrest and that he maintained his innocence.

The FBI earlier said there was "no indication of a connection" between the letters and Monday's Boston attack.

Mr Curtis has also been charged with threatening to harm others, the US Department of Justice said.

He appeared in court on Thursday for a brief hearing but said little, the Associated Press news agency reports.

[Big RR]

I think I have more contempt for the people that call in phony bomb threats after a bombing than for the actual people who did the bombing. At least the bombers had the balls.


That's not in anyway meant to sympathize with the bombers, a slow death inside a pressure cooker would be fitting for them.

Well, if not balls, at least ball bearings. Sorry, I guess it's too soon

[Lord Jim]

Well, if not balls, at least ball bearings. Sorry, I guess it's too soon

Yes, and to say that the people behind this have "balls" is totally inaccurate...

To plant a bomb that kills indiscriminately, (including children) while you are able to get away, demonstrates no "courage" whatsoever....

Indeed, it is the ultimate expression of cowardice...

And should be treated as such...

[rubato]

Texas is notorious for the number and size of chemical plant accidents there.

yrs,
rubato

[dales]

CA ain't far behind...

[rubato]

Perhaps you could find a map which shows actual chemical plant accidents and deaths not a map which shows where chemical plants are?


This shows the amount of toxics released in each state. Texas is number one for all years but one (that I saw) and generally has about 9-10 times the releases in California (regulation is a good thing)
http://www.rtknet.org/db/tri/state?year=2005




You can scroll through this for chemical disasters going back to 1998.
http://www.csb.gov/investigations/compl ... ype=2&pg=9

Some of the biggest ones in history are before that; Texas City 1947 > 500 people killed,( a 2005 disaster also in Texas City killed 15) and the Pasadena Texas disaster in 1989 23 killed and 314 injured


If you want to die in a chemical plant move to Texas (La and Pa are up there too).


yrs,
rubato

[dales]

I'm happy in California, rube.

How 'bout you?

[oldr_n_wsr]

Yes, and to say that the people behind this have "balls" is totally inaccurate...

To plant a bomb that kills indiscriminately, (including children) while you are able to get away, demonstrates no "courage" whatsoever....

Indeed, it is the ultimate expression of cowardice...

And should be treated as such...

I don't disagree, perhaps I worded it poorly. At least they had the conviction(?) to carry out their plan. Those that call threats in are just dickheads.
I probably worded that poorly also, I'll be quite now

[Lord Jim]

If you want to die in a chemical plant move to Texas

On the other hand, if you live in say, Santa Cruz California, and you'd like move to a similar sized place where it is less likely that you would die from violent crime, there are a number of towns in Texas you could choose from. (As I have shown before)