# Texas Fertilizer Plant Blast **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 18, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000 "2013-04-18T02:48:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/1 "2013-04-18T02:48:48Z")
[I hope everyone survives.](http://news.yahoo.com/police-report-fertilizer-plant-explosion-near-waco-texas-015859240.html) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/2 "2013-04-18T02:55:02Z")
I hope so too, but my first reaction was it needed a better headline – “Shit Blast Buries Dozens of Seniors.” ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/3 "2013-04-18T03:23:15Z")
It’s near FUCKING [WACO](http://news.yahoo.com/police-report-fertilizer-plant-explosion-near-waco-texas-015859240.html)!!! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/4 "2013-04-18T03:40:57Z")
Here is a video taken close by of the big explosion, the location was already on fire and unfortunately the report mentions that so far at least one policeman and 5 fire fighters are reported dead. > **[KWKT - FOX 44](https://www.fox44news.com/)** > > We tell local Waco, Texas news & weather stories, and we do what we do to make Waco, Temple, Killeen, Byran, College Station and the rest of Texas a better place to live. (audio speaker warning, lower your volume) Oh crap, now the last update mentions that a doctor reported that 60 or more are dead and told the hospitals to expect hundreds of wounded people. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/5 "2013-04-18T03:43:01Z")
The Headlines are Waco blast. That got my attention. Fertilizer plants have always been dangerous. They have special handling to avoid explosions. Something went very badly wrong for this to happen. Seems likely it’s a horrible tragic accident. I hope the deaths aren’t as high as they are initially reporting. That’s a lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/6 "2013-04-18T03:47:43Z")
I cannot wrap my head around putting your parents in a care facility near a fertilizer plant. Here you go Dad, a nice care home near a pile of poop, or chemicals that are basic ingedients for bombs. Trust me, it’s a nice place. Disregard the smell. You’ll have a blast! Also a nearby school. Oh my furry gumballs, I am glad this happened at night! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/7 "2013-04-18T03:56:10Z")
Ammonia is dangerous stuff. I hope there’s not another explosion. Anhydrous - water removed. So this was powdered or pellet ammonia? [http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/Explosion-Injuries-Reported-At-West-Fertilizer-Plant-203505331.html](http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/Explosion-Injuries-Reported-At-West-Fertilizer-Plant-203505331.html) > [@](#): > > The fire started in an anhydrous ammonia tank and spread to the building, authorities said. > > The resulting explosion spread the fire to the Middle School and to a nearby nursing home. > > The blast was felt throughout the city and as far away as Hillsboro, Whitney and Blum. > > Most of the injuries resulted from debris being thrown from the blast, glass, doors and other shrapnel, authorities said. > > Everyone within one mile of the fire was ordered to evacuate. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/8 "2013-04-18T04:01:52Z")
Just another reason why if I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent Texas and live in Hell. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/9 "2013-04-18T04:12:00Z")
> [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](#): > > I cannot wrap my head around putting your parents in a care facility near a fertilizer plant. Here you go Dad, a nice care home near a pile of poop, or chemicals that are basic ingedients for bombs. Trust me, it’s a nice place… On the bright side the money saved by not having to pay those expensive nursing home fees should more than cover the costs of the funeral. Plus there’s the prospect of a nice settlement from the fertilizer company. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/10 "2013-04-18T04:16:54Z")
I suspect some of those people in the nursing home worked at that plant not that many years ago. It sounds like a typical company town. The plant was probably the main employer. Schools, diners, fast food, and so on were close by to service the workforce. Drop your kids off at school and get to work five minutes later. We have a lot of small towns like that in my state. The town is there because of the plant and the jobs. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Made_French_Toast_For_You)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/11 "2013-04-18T04:25:00Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Here is a video taken close by of the big explosion, the location was already on fire and unfortunately the report mentions that so far at least one policeman and 5 fire fighters are reported dead. > > [http://www.kwkt.com/news/caught-camera-fertilizer-plant-explosion-near-waco](http://www.kwkt.com/news/caught-camera-fertilizer-plant-explosion-near-waco) > (audio speaker warning, lower your volume) > > Oh crap, now the last update mentions that a doctor reported that 60 or more are dead and told the hospitals to expect hundreds of wounded people. That is absolutely insane video. Unconfirmed reports of 60-70 dead and hundreds injured. Hopefully it turns out to be much less. Can the jokey comments stop now? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/12 "2013-04-18T04:26:38Z")
I’ve driven through that town many times. I hope everyone’s OK. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/13 "2013-04-18T04:31:39Z")
Been through there a time or two. Great kolaches. Man, this is so awful. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/14 "2013-04-18T04:32:29Z")
The reports on the number of the dead are absolutely horrific. Let’s hope they are as inaccurate as some initial reports on the Boston bombing. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/15 "2013-04-18T04:37:42Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Ammonia is dangerous stuff. I hope there’s not another explosion. > > Anhydrous - water removed. So this was powdered or pellet ammonia? It should be a gas, maybe highly compressed so it’s in liquid form. I think it’s explosive if the pressure or temperature gets too high. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Made_French_Toast_For_You)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/16 "2013-04-18T04:43:36Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It should be a gas, maybe highly compressed so it’s in liquid form. I think it’s explosive if the pressure or temperature gets too high. If the building was on fire, and they knew it contained highly explosive material, shouldn’t the nearby residents have been evacuated? And if it’s true police and firefighters were at the scene, shouldn’t they have gotten far away too? ---
**Author:** ![D-bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@D-bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D-bear)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/17 "2013-04-18T04:45:06Z")
I thought these people wanted to succeed from the Union? I’m pretty sure after the election results came out last November, they all wanted to be separated from the USA. It’s horrible that this happened, but this has to be indicative of what a Red-State mentality brings on it’s population… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/18 "2013-04-18T04:54:16Z")
> [@I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](#): > > If the building was on fire, and they knew it contained highly explosive material, shouldn’t the nearby residents have been evacuated? And if it’s true police and firefighters were at the scene, shouldn’t they have gotten far away too? I think the police and firemen were doing everything they could to put out the fire. I don’t know why nearby facilities like a nursing home weren’t evacuated, perhaps they were getting that started when the tank blew. Firefighters are on the scene now trying to prevent a second tank from exploding. I’ve only of heard of 2 deaths confirmed so far, but they’ve said there are more than 60 critical injuries, and hundreds of additional injuries. The last report said many of the injuries were burns. There may be people missing, morning could bring much worse reports. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/19 "2013-04-18T04:55:49Z")
> [@D-bear](#): > > I thought these people wanted to succeed from the Union? I’m pretty sure after the election results came out last November, they all wanted to be separated from the USA. It’s horrible that this happened, but this has to be indicative of what a Red-State mentality brings on it’s population… Yes, [but who could have guessed ammonia was explosive](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_Disaster)? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000/20 "2013-04-18T05:03:41Z")
> [@D-bear](#): > > I thought these people wanted to succeed from the Union? I’m pretty sure after the election results came out last November, they all wanted to be separated from the USA. It’s horrible that this happened, but this has to be indicative of what a Red-State mentality brings on it’s population… :rolleyes: Yes there’s a tiny band of morons who want to secede but they are a few thousand people at best, hardly indicative of a “Red State mentality” Not to mention that we don’t know even if the explosion is deliberate or not much less whose behind it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-fertilizer-plant-blast/656000.md?page=2)