The blast followed a fire at the plant, which is thought to have started in an anhydrous ammonia tank before spreading to the buildings at the plant.
There is no official fatality count, but dozens are feared to have died in the disaster. The Department of Public Safety reported that at least 100 people have been injured and 50 to 75 residences damaged in West.
Rescuers are doing house-to-house search in the area. Among those missing are the four to five firefighters, who responded to the initial fire at the plant.
The number of casualties may rise as the rescue operation continues. West's EMS director told local KTVT late Wednesday night that he, a doctor, and Justice of the Peace are getting set to"pronounce many people dead" at the scene.
The authorities are evacuating the town, which had a population of 2,674 at the 2010 census. The town is located 30km north of Waco, Texas, and 110km south of the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area.
Roughly 150 survivors from a damaged nursing home, who were feared dead in the first hours after the explosion, were sent to a community center outside of town.
The football field that was being used as an emergency command center and helicopter landing pad has been evacuated due to fears of a second explosion.
Doctors and staff of the Hillcrest Hospital have been taking in the first wave of burn victims. The clinic reported receiving 61 patients, including 12 in critical condition.
First responders requested a bomb squad to investigate a pervasive scent of flammable chemicals. Multiple barns in the area were engulfed in flames. One witness told the Waco Tribune "every house within about four blocks is blown apart." The local middle school was also on fire, but luckily it was not in session at the time.
Firefighters are being kept away from the still-smoldering plant to extinguish the remaining fires due to safety concerns, the DPS reports. Toxic fumes are rising from the site.
West Mayor Tommy Muska told residents to stay in inside because of the hydrous gas still in the air.
Among other chemicals, the plant was producing ammonia solution, a colorless toxic gas, which is liquid under pressure. When concentrated it is corrosive to tissues upon contact. Its safety service guide reads that exposure to ammonia in sufficient quantities can be fatal, with the chemical becoming highly explosive when mixed with gas and/or air.
Containers with ammonia are prone to explosions when heated, while ruptured cylinders may rocket.
The Federal Aviation Authority has placed a no-fly zone over the area.
Multiple commenters on RT’s story reported feeling the blast from their homes, which in some cases were located dozens of miles from the fertilizer plant.
