West Texas
Live Updates: West Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion Injures More Than 100
An administration official tells ABC News that President Obama has been notified of the situation in Texas.
“The president has been notified. The administration is closely monitoring through FEMA who is also in contact with state and local officials who are responding,” an official told ABC News in an email.
6:39 a.m. ET: West Mayor Tommy Muska said perhaps 60 homes have been damaged. All of the nursing home patients have been accounted for and all of downtown West, Texas, has been evacuated.
For those trying to locate their family members please call: 254-826-4115
6:30 a.m. ET: “Nightline” featured dramatic cellphone footage of the explosion. Residents said the explosion sounded like a “massive” bomb.
5:45 a.m. ET: Sgt. William Patrick Swanton of the Waco, Texas, Police Department estimated 5 to 15 fatalities from the fertilizer plant explosion. Swanton said 3 to 5 firefighters have been killed and there is also a law enforcement official who is unaccounted for.
5:23 a.m. ET: Pope Francis tweeted on his official Twitter account, “Please join me in praying for the victims of the explosion in Texas and their families.”
4: 11 a.m. ET: ABC Chief Health and Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser says a continuing danger from the Texas fertilizer plant explosion and fire is exposure to ammonia.
“What you see with high level ammonia exposure is damage to your eyes, to your throat, to your nose, to your esophagus when you swallow,” Besser told ABC News Radio. “A blast that’s going in one direction, if you get a change in the wind, it can come to another neighborhood and be affected.”
ABC News has confirmed there are a total of 179 people hospitalized with 10 additional people in triage. At least 24 are in critical condition, nine of which are burn victims sent to Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
At least 38 people are in serious condition.
Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco: David Argueta, vice president of operations, says they currently have over 100 patients with lacerations, orthopedic and burn injuries. There are 12 people in surgery or have been admitted that are critical. More than 38 are seriously injured, but no fatalities have been reported.
Providence Healthcare Network in Waco: Spokesperson Heather Beck says they have currently treated 65 patients. Of the 65 patients, 12 have patients have broken bones, burns and head injuries. One patient is in critical condition.
3:38 a.m. ET: Sgt. William Patrick Swanton, spokesman for the Waco police expressed a concern of new explosions or leaks of ammonia from the plant’s ruins.
2:58 a.m. ET: After hearing firefighters were down, George Willoughby, a police officer in a neighboring town, rushed to help the injured.
“I wasn’t here (in West). I was in another town but yeah we felt up it (explosion) up there too,” Willoughby told ABC News Radio.
2:45 a.m. ET: A team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) will be heading to the scene of the West Fertilizer Plant explosion, according to a CSB news release. They are expected to arrive Thursday afternoon.
2:31 a.m. ET: PHOTOS: Explosion Rips Through West, Texas, Fertilizer Plant
2:24 a.m. ET: Jonnie Payne of Aderhold Funeral Home in West, Texas told ABC News that she has not “received any calls as of yet about fatalities.” She said when the explosi0n happened her “whole house shook.”
“My son went out there to check on what happened and was injured in the explosion. He’s now in a hospital in Waco with a broken collarbone,” she said.
2:10 a.m. ET: There are a total of 172 people confirmed hospitalized with 23 more people en route/to be admitted. At least 24 people are in critical condition and at 38-40 people are in serious condition. Here is the breakdown from each area hospital:
Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco: Hospital officials said they have more than 100 patients — 101 registered but are currently assessing around 20 in triage area and are expecting another wave. They are seeing lots of patients with lacerations, orthopedic injuries and a few burns. Nine severely burned patients have been directly sent to Parkland hospital burn center in Dallas. They are reporting no fatalities.
Providence Healthcare Network in Waco: Hospital officials said they have treated 58 patients. They are in the process of triaging three. No word yet on whether they will get another wave, but are prepared. At least one patient is in critical condition Most of the injuries are moderate—broken bones, cuts, abrasions, scrapes, respiratory distress—most of these injuries were caused by flying glass or people knocked down by the force of the blast, according to hospital spokeswoman Heather Beck.
Hill Regional Hospital: Unclear
Parkland Hospital in Dallas: Hospital officials said they have nine severe burn patients.
Scott & White Memorial in Temple: Hospital officials said they received four patients, three at Scott & White Memorial Hospital, and one at McLane Children’s Hospital. Another patient is in route to McLane Children’s. At least two of the four patients are listed in critical condition at this time.
The Blood Donation Center will stay open until 2:30 a.m. to allow residents to come in and donate. The donors can get to the Blood Donation Center by coming in the main hospital entrance at 2401 S. 31st Street, Temple.
