At least five dead after fertilizer plant blast rocks Texas town

Between five and fifteen people are already confirmed dead, at least 160 people are wounded and a number of people remain unaccounted for after a deadly fertilizer plants explosion in the town of West, Texas, Wednesday night.

Waco Police Sergeant W. Patrick Swanton, who was acting as a spokesman for law enforcement in the small community some 20 miles north of Waco, told the media that there’s no indication that this was anything but a horrible accident, but there’s no information yet about what caused the blast.

“We are not indicating that it is a crime, but we don’t know…What that means to us is that until we know it is an industrial accident, we will work it as a crime scene,” he said Thursday morning.

Among the missing are three to four West volunteer firefighters, who were battling a fire at the anhydrous ammonia fertilizer plant before it exploded, Swanton said. A police officer had also been reported missing, but was found at a hospital with serious injuries.

State and federal officials flocked to West Thursday night, to provide aid to the small town of about 2500 people.

“West has seen a tremendous outpouring of support and a tremendous community involvement. They are leaning on each other,” Swanton said.

The search and rescue efforts are continuing. Swanton said it’s a slow process, because rescue workers must shore up structures before going in to look for victims.

“They are continuing to search for survivors and injured people, to make sure they get the medical care they need,” he added.

The blast was so strong, the U.S. Geological Survey recorded a 2.1 magnitude earthquake at the sight of the blast.

Adding insult to an already terrible situation, Swanton reported that a single incident of looting had been reported in the devastated area, Wednesday night. But he assured residents that law enforcement now had that situation firmly in hand.

“That is a significant concern to us. This is a community we’re going to do our absolute best to protect,” Swanton said.

West Mayor Tommy Muska, speaking to CNN Wednesday night, said that a five-block area around the town’s fertilizer plant, including 60 to 70 homes, a school, apartment complex and nursing home, were leveled.

“I walked through the blast area, I searched some houses earlier tonight. It was massive, just like Iraq, just like the Murrah building in Oklahoma City,” said Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper D.L. Wilson.

The explosion was caught on video by a man and his daughter, and posted to YouTube. The State Fire Marshall’s office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are leading the investigation into the explosion.

At least half of the town was evacuated amidst concerns not only of additional explosions, but also that the explosion may have produced a cloud of poisonous anhydrous ammonia that could linger over the town. Swanton said concerns about additional explosions from out-of-control fires, as well as chemical release, had largely dissipated as of Thursday morning.

U.S. Rep Bill Flores, who represents West, called the community a “wonderful” place. Flores said the fire started when a fire spread to chemicals used to treat the fertilizer, which then exploded.

“Our hearts go out to them,” he said, vowing federal resources would be provided to help the city with its response.

Editor’s Note: Viewer discretion is advised when choosing whether to watch this video.

A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the photo was taken by a man and his son. It was a man and his daughter.