As many as 40 people may have died in a tragic explosion which rocked Waco, Texas last night and there are at least 150 reported injured after the accident. The fertilizer plant where the explosion took place was an industrial location that blended and stored anhydrous ammonia which was later distributed as fertilizer to local businesses. Ammonia is considered a toxic chemical and is also combustible. It is known as a gas that can give off suffocating fumes.
On April 17th, a fire broke out at about 6:00 p.m. The Waco Police say that there are not any definite answers as to how the fire at the plant started. The Texas Department of Public Safety says that they will be investigating the reason for the fire, but believe that it may take up to six months to get the answers that locals want.
The police are almost certain that the fire was nothing more than an industrial accident, and there was no intention of harm by an employee or a criminal that was at all influential concerning the incident. Regardless of the fact that many believe that the industrial accident was unintentional, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has already brought a team to Texas to investigate the site of the explosion and determine whether it was accidental or criminal.
The blaze eventually drew nearer to the fertilizer at the plant, and about two hours after the fire had been discovered, there was an ear shattering boom. The thunderous explosion registered at a 2.1 magnitude, sending a column of smoke hundreds of feet into the air. Buildings within a five-block radius of the plant were destroyed and at present emergency personnel believe that more than 150 people were injured by the blast.
Reports say that houses were leveled and a nursing home located near the plant collapsed during the boom, and debris flew into two rows of homes nearby. The debris also struck an assisted-living facility and an emergency services building where 25 volunteers were in class.
Texas Governor Rick Perry has already asked the federal government for a disaster declaration. This will allow the government to dispatch more help for the small community in Waco so that the injured can get the assistance that they need. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has also dispatched an investigation team to the scene of the accident to determine any hazardous materials that were leaked or exposed as a part of the explosion.
State officials are already setting up air monitoring to determine the levels of dangerous chemicals that may be circulating throughout Waco and putting survivors at risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ammonia exposure at high concentrations can lead to death and victims may suffer from breathing difficulty, irritation of the nose and eyes, and burns or blisters.
According to a 2011 safety plan that plant filed with the federal government, they did not have automatic shutoff systems or firewalls installed at the plant. Shockingly, the plant was within 1,000 feet of a middle school, and was also located near homes and an apartment complex. All of these locations were significantly damaged in the blast as a result. The Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco says that they have already treated 101 people for injuries after the blast and two of them are in critical condition at present.
The Providence Health Center, another hospital in the area, has treated 56 patients at present. Most of the people who have arrived for medical treatment were suffering from lacerations or burns. Staff members at some hospitals say that there are more patients on the way, and that some people are currently trapped and unable to get to the medical facilities.
As well, some believe that many of the injured who are arriving at the hospital were inside a Waco apartment complex located near the plant that collapsed at the time of the explosion. Some of the individuals harmed in this incident were trapped under the debris, and rescue teams had to extract them from the rubble.
There are continuing fires from the explosion that are still raging throughout Waco, and authorities are concerned about the possibility of toxic emissions. There is also a threat of additional explosions from the incident, and authorities are trying to search some of the most heavily damaged areas near the blast site. Some rescue teams are currently scouring the area for survivors but they are concerned that the additional fires and toxic emission may make it hard for them to search carefully.
This tragic accident has resulted in many injuries and deaths, and the rescue crews are still looking through the town to locate other injured individuals who may be trapped. At least 10 rescue crew members have been injured at the scene as well. If you want more information about plant explosions like this one, you can research using the helpful links below. Industrial injury attorneys may be able to help you seek compensation for the injuries that you experienced in an industrial plant blast like this one.
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