Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion: 70 People Killed with Hundreds Injured [PHOTOS]
On Wednesday night, a fertilizer plant explosion shook Texas killing 70 people and the hundreds of injured victims were immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment. This is another tragic incident after the horrifying Boston Marathon explosion that occurred last Monday.
"The West Fertilizer plant explosion occurred just before 8 p.m. (0100 GMT)," Waco assistant fire chief Don Yeager told the AFP through phone a call. The cause of the explosion was identified as the fertilizer chemical anhydrous ammonia.
"Anhydrous ammonia is a concern of those in the vicinity of the explosion," the community emergency medical services director George Smith stated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anhydrous ammonia is a pungent chemical gas with suffocating fumes used as a fertilizer. Texas resident near the fertilizer plant revealed to CNN that they were cautioned about the lethal substance.
According to the KWTX television report, West Emergency Management Services Director George Smith confirmed the death toll while hospital CEO Glenn Robinson revealed over 60 patients was admitted on Wednesday night. "Victims suffered from blast injuries, orthopedic injuries and a lot of lacerations. While some of the injuries are minor, others are quite serious," Robinson stated.
The brave firefighters who responded to the explosion were injured as well with a secondary blast. "There has been an explosion on the fire scene, there are firefighters down at this time," an unnamed dispatcher on the emergency managers' radio traffic declared.
The massive explosion knocked down the nearby buildings and set fire to the others. Residents told the local media that the windows from their homes were shattered with the intense force of the explosion.
"It was a small fire and then water got sprayed the ammonia nitrate and it exploded just like the Oklahoma City bomb," Jason Shelton, a clerk at the Czech Best Western Hotel in West, stated to the Dallas Morning News.