Multiple casualties in Texas fertilizer plant explosion (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Fertilizer Plant Explosion Near Waco, Texas

A massive explosion has rocked a fertilizer plant near Waco, Texas. Rescue crews are on the scene as a number of injuries have been reported, according to local affiliate KWTX. Several buildings are thought to have been destroyed.

There were accounts of people trapped in a nearby nursing home, which had been damaged, and residents stranded in an adjacent apartment building. Initial reports indicated that at least five victims were in critical condition.

The explosion occurred around 7:50pm local time in the town of West, north of Waco. A fireball of nearly 100 feet high has been reported along with a massive power outage.

A large swath of West, Texas was “leveled” in the explosion, according to WFAA-TV Dallas reporter Jason Whitely.

Nine emergency helicopters were reported to be en route to the local high school. Emergency officials were also trying to evacuate a neighborhood near the site of the explosion. Hospital officials told CNN they were anticipating as many as 100 victims.

Live video:

Photo from twitter.com user @mariahrain14

Police officers were witnessed transporting the injured in their squad cars.

At least 10 other buildings are on fire, including the town middle school, according to other media outlets. Every available ambulance had been dispatched while fire crews from neighboring areas have rushed to the scene.

An emergency responder requested help over local radio with a “major collapse” on a second floor where children were thought to be trapped.

Multiple commenters on RT’s story reported feeling the blast from their homes, which were located as much as dozens of miles from the fertilizer plant.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher on April 17, 2013 at 10:38pm

Watch for the fallout next - caused by possible fluorine gas exposure.

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Permalink Reply by Sweettina2 on April 17, 2013 at 10:42pm

Wow, I hadnt heard about this. But I dont watch the local news.

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Permalink Reply by guest_blog on April 18, 2013 at 12:50am

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Fertilizer Plant Explosion Near Waco, Texas

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Permalink Reply by guest_blog on April 18, 2013 at 12:51am

UPDATE: Entire town (within a mile radius) to be evacuated - toxic fumes may be spreading

UPDATE: Hospital told to anticipate 100 people with injuries, Hospital CEO tells CNN

UPDATE: Up To 70 Dead, 38 seriously injured included blast injuries, orthopedic injuries, large wounds and a lot of lacerations and cuts.

UPDATE: *AS MANY AS 80 HOMES DESTROYED IN TEXAS FERTILIZER BLAST: CNN

CNN Reports from Dr. George Smith, the emergency management system director of the city:

Fire officials fear that the number of casualties could rise as high as 60 to 70 dead,

"That's a really rough number, I'm getting that figure from firefighters, we don't know yet," he said.

"There are lots of houses that are leveled within a two-block radius," Smith said. "A lot of other homes are damaged as well outside that radius."

"It was an apartment complex that was devastated, and the nursing home. The fire was close to a residential area,"

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Permalink Reply by Cryptocurrency on April 18, 2013 at 1:55am

Can't wait to hear what kind of bullshit story they come up with for this one...

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Permalink Reply by DTOM on April 18, 2013 at 5:42am

Exactly, oh what a co-inky dink, and 2 days before the 20 year anniversary of the April 19th Branch Davidian Massacre too...

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Permalink Reply by Cryptocurrency on April 18, 2013 at 2:56pm

You smell that? I don't think it's fertilizer...

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Permalink Reply by Sweettina2 on April 20, 2013 at 3:59am

Thats right!!! Wow.

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Permalink Reply by Old Denmark on April 18, 2013 at 7:06am

http://rt.com/usa/texas-fertilizer-plant-explosion-036/

A disaster of this scale at a chemical plant poses serious contamination danger, although without radiation, nuclear safety expert Robert Jacobs told RT.