Texas Fertilizer explosion: at least 70 dead

I just heard a tiny bit on the CBC radio news about this - am trying to find other coverage.

According to KWTX, the explosion was reported at around 7:50 p.m. Wednesday in a frantic radio call from the scene of the fire at West Fertilizer located at 1471 Jerry Mashek Drive, near Interstate 35.
An emergency dispatcher appealed for more help. "I need anybody and everybody," she said.
The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed there were multiple injuries.
A spokesperson with DPS says troopers have been transporting the injured to hospitals in their patrol cars.
At least 10 structures are on fire in the town, including a school which is next door to the plant. The town's community hospital is about four blocks from the burning fertilizer plant.
KWTX reports a number of buildings were reported to be burning, some in residential areas and evacuations were underway. Authorities were going door-to-door checking residences in the area.
Governor Rick Perry released a statement on the incident: “We are monitoring developments and gathering information as details continue to emerge about this incident. We have also mobilized state resources to help local authorities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of West, and the first responders on the scene.”

you gotta love American urban planning!

I heard on TV that every house within four blocks was knocked apart. A nursing home was in that range.

My appreciation for Ammonium Nitrate was pressed indelibly into my skull when I was taken to Port Arthur where a huge bronze ships propellor , about 10 feet in diameter was made the center of a park right where it landed. The park was dedicated to the NH4 NO3 ship explosion that took place in the 1940's . The ships propellor was several miles from where it was blown off the fertilizer ship that blew.

Damn, I hope the casualties are low.

HAWKEYE, you cant have it many ways. Texas has chosen NOT to infringe on peoples rights to property use no matter what the health and safety reasons

Freaky. The Texas City explosion happened on April 16th.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_disaster

you seem to forget that I am a socialist. I am a firm supporter of government control of urban planning, a position that I arrived at after seeing the benefits of such while I lived in Germany. the fact that I dont think that government has the right to tell me what size my soda cup has to be does not vacate this opinion.

last month you were a libertarian. I gues you evolve as we sit here.

Have you seen this amateur footage? Holy ****!

Yeah, Texas City, not Port Arthur. APRIL 16 , wow. Theres never enough safety practiced on these Nitrate plants and shipping facilities
We have a Nitrate storage facility a few miles from us and its a clay based 45% mix (I sometimes get the stuff for my pastures. I always step lightly in summer. That **** can combust spontaneously if its in a paraffin/clay mix.

not according to me...i often protest this corrupt and abusive governments abuse of the citizens but I have never claimed that government power is unneeded in a healthy collective.

So awful. I hope the toll is low and stays that way.

Horrific. The NY Times is saying 5-15 dead.

And all of the firefighters were volunteers, willing to put their lives on the line for their community.
Pray for the families of those firefighters, because they probably have answered their last call.

I will.

In fairness, you seem to forget it all the time.

Like flies to wanton Gods are we.

Or it's showing concern.

This is close to where DrewDad, edgar and I live (relatively speaking, as Tx is so big) I first heard about it on the way to work this morning, and my stomach turned.

West is a small community, 3000 people. With so many people killed and injured, everyone there know's someone who was involved.

It's fortunate that this morning a cold front, with the accompanying heavy rains came through there.

Listening to the radio again on the way home from work, I learned this was not some huge fertilizer plant, but a small operation that has been there as long as anyone can remember. It did only about a million dollars worth of business, and serviced mostly the local farms. They had some small violation back in 2006, which was remedied, and the only other thing that was said was the occasional, and understandable whiff of ammonia.

Very sad.

You misunderstood.

I'm not criticizing anyone for commenting on this event.

It is very sad and I don't question the sincerity of anyone's expressed sympathy.

These terrible things happen with regularity, and very rarely to the people who one might argue deserve a terrible fate.