IGX

(CNN) -- An explosion ripped through a fertilizer plant Wednesday night in West, Texas, CNN affiliate KWTX reported.

A photo taken after the explosion -- which reportedly happened around 7:50 p.m. (8:50 p.m. ET) -- showed a huge plume of smoke rising high into the air.

The West Fertilizer Plant is located about 20 miles north of Waco. A school and a nursing home are among the buildings near the plant.

Authorities did not respond immediately to CNN's requests for comment on Wednesday night.

Tommy Alford, who works in a convenience store about three miles from the plant, told CNN that several volunteer firefighters were at the store when they spotted smoke.

Alford said the firefighters headed toward the scene and then between five and 10 minutes later, he heard a massive explosion.

http://www.wfaa.com/news/texas-news/pow ... 08001.html

A large explosion rocked the town of West, Texas, 19 miles north of Waco, on Wednesday evening.

A source tells News 8 that a large swath of the small town with a population of 2,800 has been leveled

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROrpKx3aIjA[/youtube]

Crazy video of the explosion.

I've heard streams that say 20 firefighters have died, 60 dead, and 200+ injured, but can't confirm anything.

Hoping this isn't a case of management ignoring fire safety.

I think Shapecharge is in Dallas. I heard the quake of the explosion was over 2 and could be felt as far as Dallas.

World's biggest meth lab?

Man, they're less than 1000 feet from the explosion. That must've been harrowing.

ThinkProgress is making a thing about they haven't been inspected by OSHA in six years, but there are no complaints or citations on record that I can find (employees don't appear to have been making complaints, otherwise OSHA would show up). That doesn't mean they are clean, but it's not horribly blatant bad stuff like that mining co. that killed a bunch of people through negligence.

Andy79 wrote:I think Shapecharge is in Dallas. I heard the quake of the explosion was over 2 and could be felt as far as Dallas.

I guarantee Shape heard it.

BucketHead wrote:

Andy79 wrote:I think Shapecharge is in Dallas. I heard the quake of the explosion was over 2 and could be felt as far as Dallas.

I guarantee Shape heard it.

Dunn wrote:

BucketHead wrote:

Andy79 wrote:I think Shapecharge is in Dallas. I heard the quake of the explosion was over 2 and could be felt as far as Dallas.

I guarantee Shape heard it.

LOL!

Mickey O'neil wrote:

Dunn wrote:

BucketHead wrote:

Andy79 wrote:I think Shapecharge is in Dallas. I heard the quake of the explosion was over 2 and could be felt as far as Dallas.

I guarantee Shape heard it.

LOL!

Did he feel it?

Grandpa's Spells wrote:ThinkProgress is making a thing about they haven't been inspected by OSHA in six years, but there are no complaints or citations on record that I can find (employees don't appear to have been making complaints, otherwise OSHA would show up). That doesn't mean they are clean, but it's not horribly blatant bad stuff like that mining co. that killed a bunch of people through negligence.

Shit happens, it's not always criminal negligence. One mistake at a fertilizer plant is all you need; by an employee or the management.

The process of making Amonia Nitrate is dangerous, involves heat, and natural gas. The process of manufaturing Amonia Nitrate needs to be constantly monitored. All you need is a fire and the finished Amonia Nitrate explodes at 400 degrees F. This apparently is what happened. A fire started, people were trying to put out the fire, when temps reached 400+ F the Amonia Nitrate detonated.

Having set off numerous Fetilizer bombs I can attest to destructive force and the shock wave these blasts produce.

I would question the decision to build an elementary school or anything residential near a fertilizer plant.


BTW- without Amonia Nitrate 1/4 to 1/3 of the world population goes bye bye due to starvation.

Batboy2/75 wrote:

Grandpa's Spells wrote:ThinkProgress is making a thing about they haven't been inspected by OSHA in six years, but there are no complaints or citations on record that I can find (employees don't appear to have been making complaints, otherwise OSHA would show up). That doesn't mean they are clean, but it's not horribly blatant bad stuff like that mining co. that killed a bunch of people through negligence.

Shit happens, it's not always criminal negligence. One mistake at a fertilizer plant is all you need; by an employee or the management.

Yes and no. It's not always criminal, but there's usually some form of negligence when you have catastrophes. Accidents are nearly always practiced; people cut corners for a long time until the odds finally catch up with them. Putting it in gun terms, somebody who has an ND in the house didn't usually have it happen the very first time they got careless following protocol.

Saw something that said they were fined by the epa in 06 but don't know if that would have anything to do with it.

Grandpa's Spells wrote:

Batboy2/75 wrote:

Grandpa's Spells wrote:ThinkProgress is making a thing about they haven't been inspected by OSHA in six years, but there are no complaints or citations on record that I can find (employees don't appear to have been making complaints, otherwise OSHA would show up). That doesn't mean they are clean, but it's not horribly blatant bad stuff like that mining co. that killed a bunch of people through negligence.

Shit happens, it's not always criminal negligence. One mistake at a fertilizer plant is all you need; by an employee or the management.

Yes and no. It's not always criminal, but there's usually some form of negligence when you have catastrophes. Accidents are nearly always practiced; people cut corners for a long time until the odds finally catch up with them. Putting it in gun terms, somebody who has an ND in the house didn't usually have it happen the very first time they got careless following protocol.

Regulators will have to cover their asses, so it will become criminal negligence for a while-- even if it wasn't.

Didn't feel anything here, just north of Dallas, I think Shape is in Fort Worth.

Waco, April 19, 1993 Koresh and company BBQ.

Oklahoma City Bombing, April 19, 1995

Forget the black helicopters, made me google those dates when I saw the explosion on the news.

I thought we had put this ear stuff behind us. Very hurtful.

Gary John wrote:Waco, April 19, 1993 Koresh and company BBQ.

Oklahoma City Bombing, April 19, 1995

Forget the black helicopters, made me google those dates when I saw the explosion on the news.

Virginia Tech - April 16
Mae West is sentenced to 10 days in jail for obscenity - April 19
Columbine - April 20
Deepwater Horizon - April 20

Perhaps coincidence but I am hiding under my desk for the next few weeks simply to be safe.

Oh, and the MIT shooting that happened a few moments ago.