Plant explosion in West

[TheFranchise]

I'm sure everyone's tuned into the details now, but man . . . Not much else to say than simply, pray, love, run to help -- whatever your method of help is, just do it. West is in chaos right now. A beautiful, charming little town that pretty much anyone that has ever driven south on I-35 is familiar with.

Just devastating . . .

http://www.wfaa.com/news/texas-news/powerful-exploson-rocks-town-north-of-waco-203508001.html

-- TheFranchise

[Harry]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/17/numerous-injuries-reported-in-large-explosion-at-texas-fertilizer-plant/

[Harry]

[FirefightnRick]

They are reporting five FF's and one cop may have died, and the EMS director for the county is predicting 60-70 dead?

Nearly 66 years to the day when over 581 lives were lost to the Texas City fertilizer explosion.

...sigh....

Rick

Edited April 18, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[laxtonto]

Dear lord... this is an apartment building near the explosion

[laxtonto]

[laxtonto]

[bstnsportsfan3]

They said it registered a 2.1 on the earthquake scale....WOW

[CMJ]

They said it registered a 2.1 on the earthquake scale....WOW

Given the fact that some people heard the explosion 30+ miles away - I actually am surprised it didn't rate higher.

[PlummMeanGreen]

They are reporting five FF's and one cop may have died, and the EMS director for the county is predicting 60-70 dead?

Nearly 66 years to the day when over 581 lives were lost to the Texas City fertilizer explosion.

...sigh....

Rick

News getting bleaker by the minute.

My late mother and father felt the Texas City explosion in their home town 40 miles away from Texas City.

[laxtonto]

God have mercy on thier souls..

This is going to be horrific tomorrow at day break

[Rudy]

Siesmograph in Amarillo registered the blast. West has a Volunteer Fire Department, probably approximately 20 members, and probably 5-10 police officers, most of those reserves. Let it sink in that they just lost probably close to half of thier fire department.

Time to put the black band on my badge. I'm tearing up right now.

[Green P1]

This day went from great, to crappy, to awful pretty damn fast.

[FirefightnRick]

Update reporting between 5-15 dead. Still around 5 first responders unaccounted for.

Rick

[FirefightnRick]

Pope Franis has tweeted asking for prayers.

Rick

[untbowler]

Eye witness video of blast.

Prayers for the community and the first responders injured in the blast.

[eulessismore]

This is simply horrible. I haven't been to West, but have wanted to, as it calls to my family's Czech heritage. It would be great if the College of Music could hold a fundraiser for these folks. Brave Combo, anyone?

[FireFightnJoey]

Update reporting between 5-15 dead. Still around 5 first responders unaccounted for.

Rick

From a personal acquaintance, one FF confirmed dead, her ex son-in-law.

Thoughts and prayers are with the West community and our brothers of West VFD and all their first responders. RIP brothers.

[eulessismore]

I just found out that one of the missing is a Dallas Firefighter who also volunteered with the West VFD (something that many full time firefighters do), so please also keep this individual and his family in your thoughts and prayers. This was passed along from one of the DFR firefighters who share office space with our GIS group at the City.