Breaking: Explosion in Waco

[ChangeUp106]

Just in. Not on the TV yet.

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/fire/multiple-buildings-in-west-ablaze-after-fertilizer-plant-explodes/article_51082f25-3238-5c50-9d12-3f11bafcf352.html

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Will not go into the shitty jokes that just flew here

Or that my mind went to the assault on Waco

[Lone_Star_Dem]

2. That sounds bad.

From your link:

Several firefighters and others were injured in an apparent fertilizer plant explosion in West shortly before 8 p.m.
Several buildings were reported to be on fire, including West Middle School, 406 W. Shook St., and a dispatcher calling for multiple ambulances said “we do have a lot of injured here.”
A dispatcher said the buildings on fire were near the 1300 block of North Reagan Street. Earlier, a dispatcher said people were trapped in a nearby apartment building.

Those poor folks in the apartments must be terrified.

[malaise]

4. Isn't the Waco anniversary in a few days? n/t

[Lone_Star_Dem]

7. Day after tomorrow, April 19th.

Texas has some pretty lax rules and regulations to be fair. It's highly likely this is an accident.

[arely staircase]

20. yes,

yes, and yes

[AverageJoe90]

3. I do hope that this was an accident and not a malicious act.....

But I can't help but fear the worst.....thanks for posting this.

[BainsBane]

5. the article makes it sound like a fire

that led to an explosion because it was a fertilizer factory. This doesn't appear to be a a bomb. I don't think people need more to worry about right now.

[MADem]

6. ...fertilizer plant explodes...sounds like the fertilizer was improperly stored.

My first thought isn't "terra," even though fertilizer is a common ingredient in McVeigh style bombs.

[malaise]

9. Looks like it started out as a fire and fertilizer exploded

per Rachel on MSNBC

[Lindsay]

11. Yeah, my first thought was

"we don't need no regulation."

Hope the people involved are okay.

[MADem]

14. I am from Boston, so my focus was a bit parochial. nt

[ChangeUp106]

8. Maybe It's Nothing

It is a fertilizer plant. Just thought with everything going on this was notable. Especially with the anniversary coming up. Plus it sounds like a lot of people might be down.

[Cleita]

12. If it's the same kind of fertilizer ingredient that you make dynamite out of, then

it could be it's just an accident. If it's organic composted fertilizer then that's different.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Fertilizer has nitrates

It is highly explosive.

[bobclark86]

18. Except...

your post of "Explosion in Waco" comes at a very bad time.

[ChangeUp106]

29. That's Why I Posted It

Just wanted to explain that I wasn't saying this was necessarily terrorism

[Cleita]

10. Rachel just announced it. So it is on TV now. MSNBC for those who don't know.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. And looks nastier than the write up

[X_Digger]

15. West, TX has a thriving Czech community..

Last edited Thu Apr 18, 2013, 12:37 AM - Edit history (1)

Anyone who's driven I-35 from Austin to Dallas will likely have stopped in and had some of the world's best colaches.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

17. A fire at the plant rekindled, took off again and led to the explosion.

WACO (April 17, 2013)—Emergency crews were responding Wednesday night after a report of a major explosion at a burning fertilizer plant in West north of Waco.

West firefighters were dispatched to the plant earlier in the evening after an earlier fire rekindled.

The explosion was reported at around 7:50 p.m. in a frantic radio call from the scene of the fire at West Fertilizer at 1471 Jerry Mashek Dr. just off Interstate 35.
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/Explosion-Injuries-Reported-At-West-Fertilizer-Plant-203505331.html?mobile=yes&device=iphone

This is a tragic event of the normal variety.

[JaneyVee]

19. Boston, Ricin, Waco. Are militia's declaring war?

[arcane1]

22. This doesn't sound like war, it sounds like lax regulation

But anything and everything remotely related to terrorism is going to get attention right now.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. The one sounds like a flare up

It's an industrial accident

[hifiguy]

39. Yep. There's a lot of highly explosive stuff

at any major chemical processing plant.

[flamingdem]

21. That's just too easy, and it recalls Timothy McVeigh nt

[FarCenter]

23. A source said that a large swatch of the small town has been leveled.

At least 10 structures are on fire in the town, including including West Middle School, 406 W. Shook St., and a dispatcher calling for multiple ambulances said “we do have a lot of injured here.”

The name of the town is West, TX.

Breaking news: Explosion, injuries reported at fertilizer plant near Waco in West, Texas

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20130417-breaking-news-explosion-injuries-reported-at-fertilizer-plant-in-west-texas.ece

[malaise]

25. Looks like a nuke

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. Conventional explosions can do that

[NutmegYankee]

30. Any large explosion that produces high temperatures will produce a cloud like that

Blevy's (Boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion) are famous for producing mushroom clouds as the hot gas races up the center and rolls the cloud. Industrial accidents often have compounds that will do that too.

[malaise]

31. Good stuff

Thanks
Hope they rescue those folks in the nursing home and apartments

[NutmegYankee]

33. Indeed, I hope they are OK.

The plant made Ammonium Nitrate, which is a fantastic fertilizer but is also a oxidizing agent in REDOX explosions. That can fuel a very violent explosion.

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. Now on a very serious note, who represents this town in Cngress?

Sounds like federal relief might be in order, but some eastern sea Board members might hav an issue with that. Remember Sandy? I wish I were kidding

[FarCenter]

32. Bill Flores

http://flores.house.gov/district-map/

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Not just an R, but part of the 2010 Tea Party caucus

This should be interesting.

The town will need help, but some reindeer games might be coming.

[SoonerPride]

28. CNN reports it's too close to call

P

[rdking647]

35. heres the police radio from the area

http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/2663/web

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. Wow, they are draining the swimming pool

Wow...

[rdking647]

37. a second tank is reportedly on fire

possibly an ammonia tank. firefighters have been ordered to pull back

[nadinbrzezinski]

40. For once I am glad I am far

And I mean that.

Ammonia can displace oxygen....nasty, nasty stuff

[rdking647]

38. firefighters where trying to put a fire out when the explosion happened

west texas has a population of about 2800

[MADem]

41. CBS broke in and said there are at least a hundred injured, and fatalities as well.

They jumped in for about a minute towards the end of Craig Furguson on the east coast...