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 Blast in US fertilizer plant, several injured
An explosion occurred at a fertilizer plant Wednesday night in the
US state of Texas and may have caused dozens of injuries, reported
Xinhua citing a US media report.
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Washington:
A massive explosion at a fertiliser plant in the small Texas town
of West has left at least two people dead, levelled several homes
and prompted a widescale evacuation in the community of 2,600
people.
Fire officials fear that the number of casualties could rise much
higher -- as many as 60 to 70 dead, CNN reported citing George
Smith, the emergency management system director of the city.
The blast took place at the West Fertilizer Plant, about 18 miles
north of Waco, about 8.50 p.m. Wednesday. It sent a massive
fireball into the sky. Flames leaped over the roof of a structure
and a plume of smoke rose high into the air.
"There are lots of houses that are levelled within a two-block
radius," Smith was quoted as saying. "A lot of other homes are
damaged as well outside that radius."
ABC News, citing Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Gail
Scarborough, put the number of injured at 200; 40 of them are
critical.
Besides the injuries, 75 to 100 houses and business were
completely destroyed in and around the plant, Scarborough was
quoted as saying.
CNN said residents are being evacuated because officials are
worried that another tank at the facility might explode.
Shortly after the explosion, more than 60 patients streamed into
Hillcrest Hospital in Waco, suffering from "blast injuries,
orthopaedic injuries (and) a lot of lacerations", said hospital
CEO Glenn Robinson.
While some of the injuries are minor, others are "quite serious",
he said.
At least six helicopters are going to fly out those who are
injured, Robinson said. Others are being transported by ambulance,
and some are getting to the hospital by car, he added.
Two other hospitals in the region were also assisting.
The West Fertilizer Plant is just north of Waco. A school and a
nursing home are among the buildings near the plant, CNN affiliate
KWTX reported.
Chrystal Anthony, a nearby resident, said she saw the flames
engulf the nursing home and an apartment complex.
"It was an apartment complex that was devastated, the nursing
home. The fire was close to a residential area," Anthony was
quoted as saying.
"It was like a bomb went off," said Barry Murry, a resident who
lives about a mile away from the plant. "There were emergency
vehicles everywhere. It has been overwhelming."
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