This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/18/texas-fertiliser-plant-explosion-devastates-town

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Texas explosion devastates tight-knit town: 'It was like the whole earth shook' Texas explosion devastates tight-knit town: 'It was like the whole earth shook'
(about 3 hours later)
Rescue workers were fighting through the devastation caused by an explosion at a Texas fertiliser plant that destroyed scores of homes and killed up to 15 people. Rescue workers were picking through the devastation caused by an explosion at a Texas fertiliser plant that destroyed scores of homes and killed at up to 15 people.
The blast wrecked a large section of West, a small town around 20 miles north of Waco, levelling buildings and leaving more that 160 people injured. Police estimated that between five and 15 people died. Up to five firefighters were missing on Thursday. The blast devastated a large section of West, a small town around 20 miles north of Waco, levelling buildings and leaving more that 160 people injured. A number of firefighters were missing.
As acrid smoke hung over the area, authorities warned that the number of victims could rise. "We do not know how many folks may still be trapped," Waco police sergeant William Swanton said in a news briefing on Thursday. Authorities warned that the number of victims could rise. "It's going to take time before we can say that everyone is accounted for," said Jason Reyes of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The blast happened at about 8pm on Wednesday night, when the town's small team of volunteer firefighters were tackling a blaze at the West Fertiliser Company plant. Video footage showed the moment of the blast. "It was a like a nuclear bomb went off," West's mayor Tommy Muska told reporters. The explosion registered as a 2.1 magnitude seismic event, and was felt for miles around. The blast occurred at about 7.50pm local time on Wednesday night, when the town's small team of volunteer fire-fighters were tackling a blaze at the West Fertiliser Company plant. "It was a like a nuclear bomb went off," said the mayor of West, Tommy Muska. The explosion registered as a 2.1 magnitude seismic event, and was felt for miles around.
It is thought that the explosion was caused when a tank of anhydrous ammonia, a fertiliser, exploded. Official records showed that up to 54,000lbs of the chemical were stored at the plant. It was fined in 2006 for deficiencies in its emergency plan. Officials said earlier on Thursday that between five and 15 people were killed in the blast. Reyes would not give a figure, but said: "We are still in the search and rescue phase, looking for individuals." The condition of some of the buildings destroyed or severely damaged in the blast made it impossible to calculate accurately the number of fatalities, he said.
It is thought that the blast was caused when tank of fertiliser exploded,Official records showed that up to 54,000lbs of the anhydrous ammonia, were stored at the plant, and that it was fined twice in recent years for various deficiencies.
Authorities were in the process of evacuating residents, including a nearby nursing home, when the explosion happened. It is thought that some 50 to 75 properties were damaged by the blast.Authorities were in the process of evacuating residents, including a nearby nursing home, when the explosion happened. It is thought that some 50 to 75 properties were damaged by the blast.
Among the buildings hit was a 50-unit apartment complex. Texas Public Safety Department spokesman D L Wilson told Reuters that it had been reduced to "a skeleton standing up". A middle school in West was also badly damaged. Among the buildings hit was a 50-unit apartment complex. DL Wilson, a spokesman for the Texas Public Safety Department, told Reuters that it had been reduced to "a skeleton standing up". A middle school in West was also badly damaged.
Matt Nors said he felt the blast from his home five miles away. "The first thing that went into my mind was a nuclear bomb," he told the Guardian. "I was standing in my garage flipping meat on the grill. The shock wave felt like somebody hit me in the gut." There was evidence of damage all over the town, which is known locally as West-comma-Texas, to avoid confusion with between this central-state town and the geographical location of west Texas. It has about 2,800 residents, many of  Czech heritage.
Shivering from the cold as he stood outside the family's restaurant, Nors Sausage and Burger House, Nors said his sister had a lucky escape. "My sister was really close to it," he said, adding that she lives within 500 yards of the blast. "I haven't seen the house but supposedly it's demolished," he said. Matt Nors said he felt the blast at his home, five miles away. "The first thing that went into my mind was a nuclear bomb," he told the Guardian. "I was standing in my garage flipping meat on the grill. The shock wave felt like somebody hit me in the gut."
Nors said residents had never considered the potential danger of living so close to the plant. "It's never been a concern. This was never even a thought, an issue," he said. Shivering from the cold as he stood outside the family's restaurant, Nors Sausage and Burger House, Nors said his sister had had a lucky escape. She lived within 500 yards of the blast. "I haven't seen the house but supposedly it's demolished," he said.
His father, Bernie, said that he knew four firefighters who had been killed. "They were fighting the fire when it blew up." Bernie Nors, who lives four miles away, saw the explosion. "When it blew up you could see the shock wave hit the wheat field – boom," he said. Nors said residents of West, which depends heavily on the agriculture industry, had never considered the potential danger of living so close to the plant. "It's never been a concern. This was never even a thought, an issue," he said.
His father, Bernie, said that he knew four firefighters who were believed to have been killed. "They were fighting the fire when it blew up." He saw the explosion from his home four miles away.
Erick Perez was playing basketball at a nearby school when the fire started. At first, the basketball players thought little of the blaze, but after half an hour, the smoke changed colour, he told the Associated Press. Then the blast came, and he was thrown to the ground. "The explosion was like nothing I've ever seen before," he said.Erick Perez was playing basketball at a nearby school when the fire started. At first, the basketball players thought little of the blaze, but after half an hour, the smoke changed colour, he told the Associated Press. Then the blast came, and he was thrown to the ground. "The explosion was like nothing I've ever seen before," he said.
Debby Marak, 58, a teacher, said she noticed a lot of smoke coming from the area near the plant. When she drove over to investigate, two boys ran toward her screaming that authorities told them to leave because the plant was going to explode. She said she drove about a block before the blast happened. Standing outside The Village Shoppe clasping a broom, Joyce Beaubien worried that she had not been able to make contact with a friend and former neighbor who works at the plant. "I haven't been able to get in touch with her," Beaubien said. "It's really devastating for a little town like this where nothing ever happens –except sometimes a person might get a little drunk."
"It was like being in a tornado. Stuff was flying everywhere. It blew out my windshield. It was like the whole earth shook." Debby Marak, 58, a teacher, told AP that she was in her car when the plant exploded. "It was like being in a tornado. Stuff was flying everywhere. It blew out my windshield. It was like the whole earth shook."
Her husband, who was in another part of town when the blast hit, told her a huge fireball rose like "a mushroom cloud". Phil Calvin, fire chief of nearby Navarro Mills, said his son Perry had been one of the first volunteers to respond to the call for assistance and had been missing since just after the explosion. Perry had been taking an emergency medical training class at the nursing home across the street from the plant when the group received the call. "We don't know anything yet," Calvin said. "We just know that he's missing."
Phil Calvin, fire chief of nearby Navarro Mills Volunteer fire department, told the Guardian his son Perry was one of the first volunteers to respond to the call for assistance Wednesday evening and has been missing since just after the explosion. Perry had been taking an emergency medical training class at the nursing home across the street from the plant when the group received the call. "We don't know anything yet," Calvin told the Guaridan. "We just know that he's missing."  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed that it had fined the plant's owners $2,300 in 2006 for failing to have in place a risk management assessment that met federal standards. An EPA official said: "They certified that they had corrected the deficiency."
The US Environmental Protection Agency confirmed that it had fined the plant's owners $2,300 in 2006 for failing to have in place a risk management assessment that met federal standards. An EPA official told the Guardian: "We conducted an inspection of the RMP [risk management plan] in March 2006. The facility was fined $2,300 and they certified that they had corrected the deficiency." A later emergency plan, submitted by West Fertiliser Company to the EPA and seen by the Dallas Morning News, stated that up to 54,000lb of anhydrous ammonia was stored on the site. But it said that there was no risk of fire or explosion, and that the worst-case scenario would be a short release of ammonia gas that would not cause any deaths or injuries.
A later emergency plan, submitted by West Fertilizer Co to the EPA and seen by the Dallas Morning News, stated that up to 54,000lbs of anhydrous ammonia was stored on the site. But it said that there was no risk of fire or explosion, and that the worst-case scenario would be a short release of ammonia gas that would not cause any deaths or injuries. Records reviewed by the Associated Press show the US pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration fined West Fertilizer $10,000 last summer for safety violations that included planning to transport anhydrous ammonia without a security plan. An inspector also found the plant's ammonia tanks were not properly labeled.
President Barack Obama, who was preparing for a prayer service in Boston for the victims of the marathon bombings, sent a message of condolence to West. "A tight-knit community has been shaken, and good, hard-working people have lost their lives," he said. The last visit to the plant by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which ensures workplaces are safe for America's 7 million employees, was in 1985 when it noted one serious violation and two other violations.
He thanked first responders who had "worked tirelessly through the night to contain the situation and treat the wounded". President Barack Obama, who was preparing for a prayer service in Boston for the victims of the marathon bombings, sent a message of condolence to West. "A tight-knit community has been shaken, and good, hard-working people have lost their lives," he said.
The blocks surrounding the plant remain closed off on Thursday, with police preventing traffic from passing. The main roads were busy with traffic, media trucks and American Red Cross incident support units mingling with a steady stream of pickup trucks. The blocks surrounding the plant remain closed off. Emergency workers continued a search and rescue operation, scouring the rubble for survivors. 
Emergency workers continued a search and rescue operation, scouring the rubble for survivors. "There is a huge organisation of mixed groups that are working together to find survivors, to find people who are injured," Swanton said.
Three hospitals in Waco and Dallas were treating survivors on Thursday. "We are seeing a lot of lacerations and orthopedic-type injuries … things you would expect in an explosion," said David Argueta, vice-president of operations at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco.
Swanton said investigators would have to examine if the fire was the result of an accidental chemical reaction, or an act of arson. "We are not indicating that it is a crime, but we don't know," he told reporters."We are way too early in the investigation to speculate on causes."
The fire was brought under control by 11pm on Wednesday but the rubble was still smouldering on Thursday. Residents were warned to stay indoors due to the threat of further explosions and toxic leaks of ammonia.
Swanton indicated that the threat had been reduced. "There is still a concern. I do not think it is a significant issue, a significant concern," he said. "There is nothing out of control at this point. There is no fire out of control, there is no chemical escape."
He described West as a "tight-knit" community, adding that the number of people helping the search operation ran into the hundreds. But there had been reported instances of looting in the aftermath of the blast, law enforcement officials said.
guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8amguardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am