Texas unit explodes, many die

Apr 19, 2013 |

A Texas fertiliser factory exploded in a huge fireball on Wednesday, destroying many homes and killing between five and 15 people, with one official likening the blast to a nuclear bomb.
Smoke and an acrid smell of burning lingered in the air hours after the blast in the small town of West, near Waco, and officials feared toxic fumes could settle over the area.
There was also concern a second fertiliser tank could explode, stoking anxiety in a nation already on edge after the Boston marathon bombings that left three people dead. The cause of the blast, that destroyed an apartment complex and a nursing home and sent residents fleeing into emergency shelters, was not immediately known.
“It’s like a nuclear bomb went off,” said West mayor Tommy Muska. Witnesses said the explosion sent a huge fireball into the air.
The police said hospitals had treated at least 160 people, and that the death toll could rise further.

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