A West fertilizer plant north of Waco, TX exploded at around 7:50pm Central Time on Wednesday killing and injuring many.
West, Texas firefighters were sent back to the plant after a fire they had handled earlier had re-ignited.
Between five and fifteen are feared dead, but the injuries are reported to be close to 200 and include at least 2 children.
Multiple triage locations have been setup including a nearby Waco, TX football field.
A nearby nursing home and apartment complex were damaged by the explosions and people are reportedly trapped in those structures. The local sheriff reported that an area five miles wide has been “flattened” by the blast.
Witnesses say they saw a fireball reaching over 100ft high.
Anhydrous amonia is strongly suspected as the agent that violently exploded. The chemical reacts violently with water – heating and causing an explosive vapor cloud in the open and will quickly dehydrate a human being while causing blisters.
A video of the explosion can be viewed below:
