Authorities have confirmed that 11 firefighters and medics were killed last night in the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas - though at least three more people are feared dead as rescuers search the rubble for bodies.
The State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas said in a statement on Thursday that six firefighters, four paramedics and one other first responder died Wednesday night as they battled a blaze the West Fertilizer Company.
'We were all volunteers. There was not one person that got paid to be there. Not one person that was ordered to go there,' Brice Reed, an EMT with the West Volunteer Fire Department, told CNN. Reed also rushed into the blast zone, but survived and was visibly shaken as he spoke.
Rescuers expect to find 14 bodies in the the rubble of the plant and the wreckage of 50 to 75 homes that were destroyed in the explosion, Mayor Tommy Muska said.
Muska says there is 'no sign of life' left in five-block radius that was flattened by the blast. A 50-unit apartment building was gutted. A middle school and a nursing home with 133 elderly patients nearby were both destroyed by fire.
A fire captain from Dallas who lived in West and rushed to help his neighbors is confirmed dead.
The volunteers were battling a fire at the plant last night when a tank of anhydrous ammonia - the same substance that fueled the 1995 Oklahoma City bombs - exploded with such force that it was felt 50 miles away and registered as a magnitude 2.1 earthquake.
Several volunteer firefighters from other departments were in West for a training class when the fire at the fertilizer plant broke out and they heroically rushed to the scene, as well.
Six families have said publicly that they are missing loved ones, also. At least 179 people were injured in the explosion, 13 seriously.
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Rubble: The fertilizer plant at West, Texas, was completely leveled after a devastating explosion that was felt by resident 50 miles away
Cleanup: Crews have begun combing through the plant, searching for the bodies of the firefighters who are believed to have died fighting the fire before the explosion
Devastation: Firefighters conduct search and rescue of an apartment destroyed by an explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, which could have killed 15
Wasteland: The remains of a fertilizer plant sits destroyed after the explosion on Thursday morning. Authorities do not yet know what caused the blaze
The remains are the West Fertilizer Company are barely recognizable are the massive explosion and intense fire ripped through the facility
One home was razed to the ground in the ensuing fire, while others were heavily damaged by flying debris and the concussion of the blast
As the dust settled on the small community of 2,800 people on Thursday morning, photographs revealed destroyed homes and debris-strewn roads in a four- or five-block radius around a massive charred crater where the plant once stood.
Later, Muska, who is himself a volunteer firefighter and was heading to the fertilizer plant when the blast occurred told the Dallas Morning News that the death toll might be lower - 14 to 16, which he described as a 'relief.'
Early reports put the death toll as high at 70. Muska had previously said up to 40 were missing and feared dead.
The only person confirmed killed thus far was Kenny 'Luckey' Harris, a 52-year-old captain in the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department who lived in West and ran to the fertilizer plant to help his neighbors put out the blaze.
Smoke and ash: Smoke still rises from the rubble of a house next to the plant
Machines destroyed: A railroad boxcar filled with ammonium nitrate lies on its side near to the remains of the fertilizer plant
Grim task: Searchers in protective suits walk through the blast zone
Thrown by the blast: A deer head mount sits inside a damaged car parked next to the apartment complex that was severely damaged
Danger: A children's playground is reduced to piles of timber
Flying debris: A giant hole in the ceiling of the West High School gymnasium
'Captain Harris rushed to the scene compelled to provide assistance to his community during this crisis, rushed to the scene compelled to provide assistance to his community during this crisis,' Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said. ;I want to express my deepest condolences to his family, friends and co-workers.'
Those reported missing by their families are:
Morris Bridges, a married father of two who is part of the West Volunteer Fire Department
Perry Calvin, 37, a married father of two from Emmett, Texas, who was at a training class in West when the blaze broke out
City Secretary Joey Pustejovsky, a West volunteer firefighter
Cyrus Reed, a West volunteer firefighter and medic
Brothers Robert, 47, and Doug Snokhous, 50, who are West firefighters.
Unused: Wheelchairs sit by the remains of an apartment complex next to the fertilizer plant that exploded yesterday afternoon
Tragic: As many as 75 businesses and homes in West are believed to have been destroyed by the massive blast around 8pm on Wednesday
Hunt: Search and rescue teams are now going door to door to check for people who could have been injured in the massive explosion
Leveled: This crumbled building was once an apartment complex with 50 units. One official described its remains as 'a skeleton'
The roofs of houses around the West Fertilizer company caved in. One home burned to the ground. An estimated 50 to 75 houses have been heavily damaged
These aerial photos taken from an airplane by the Associated Press show the massive scale of the damage
Video: Governor Rick Perry offers his condolences victims of West, Texas, explosion
What caused Texas Fertilizer Explosion?
After the extensive damage caused by the explosion - thought to be caused by dangerous anhydrous ammonia igniting in the heat of the fire - Texas Gov. Rick Perry declared a state of emergency for the county and dispatched National Guard troops for assistance.
Waco police Sgt. William Patrick Swanton described ongoing search-and-rescue efforts as 'tedious and time-consuming', noting that crews had to shore up much of the wreckage before going in.
Searchers 'have not gotten to the point of no return where they don't think that there's anybody still alive', Swanton said. Investigators awaited clearance to enter the blast zone for clues to what set off the plant's huge stockpile of volatile chemicals.
'It's still too hot to get in there,' Franceska Perot, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said.
As many as 179 people have been treated for injuries in hospitals, but Sergeant Swanton from Waco's police department warned that he expects the total number of deaths and injuries to rise as emergency teams carry out their search.
Heroes: This 2013 photo shows the West Volunteer Fire Department. Many of the people in this pictured rushed to the fire at the fertilizer plant in their town. Several of these brave volunteers are missing and feared dead
Lost: Kenny 'Luckey' Harris (left), a 52-year-old father of three who was a fire captain in Dallas but lived in West has been confirmed killed. Perry Calvin (right), 37, a married father of two from Emmett, Texas, was at a training class in West when the blaze broke out. He is missing and feared dead
Missing: Volunteer firefighter Joey Pustejovsky, pictured left with his wife, is reportedly among those missing following the massive explosion in West. Right, Morris Bridges, who was also a first responder following the blast, has been reported missing my his family
Blast zone: The West Fertilizer Co. is close to a school, nursing home and many residences, and up to 75 are believed to have been destroyed
Location: The town of West, which has around 2,800 residents and just three ambulances, was 'overwhelmed' by the explosion, residents said
The tragedy raised fears of another U.S. terror attack just days after the Boston bombs that killed three people, and comes ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Waco siege, but Mr Swanton said the blast was more likely to be a terrible industrial accident.
'They are still getting injured folks out and they are evacuating people from their homes,' Mr Swanton said in a press conference this morning. 'At this point, we don't know a number that have been killed. ... I think we will see those fatalities increase as we get toward the morning.'
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Horrific facial burns, shrapnel lacerations and broken bones being treated in West as hospitals flooded with patients including at least two children in a 'critical condition'
Swanton said a minimum of 400 emergency responders arrived at the scene on Wednesday night. Officials said they were treating it as a crime scene.
'We are not indicating that it is a crime, but we don't know,' Swanton said. 'What that means to us is that until we know that it is an industrial accident, we will work it as a crime scene. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is conducting the main investigation.'
He said there is not believed to be any hazard from smoke or air particles, and firefighters believe they have the blaze in the plant under control.
The mayor of West said he expects rescuers to recover six bodies in the wreckage of the fertilizer plant
The plant, which mixes the chemicals for agricultural fertilizer, had previously told state regulators that there was no risk of fire or explosion
Aftermath: The remains of the the West Fertilizer Co. plant smolder in the rain on Thursday after a massive explosion on Wednesday night - which could have killed as many as 15
Precautions: Two workers wearing protective clothing scour the area near the exploded fertilizer plant in West on Thursday morning
Smouldering: An aerial photo shows a view of homes on the North side of the fertilizer plant explosion site on Thursday morning
Smoke cloud: A resident in West tweeted these pictures, adding: 'Mushroom cloud from my front yard in West right after the explosion. Pretty intense situation'
Explosion: Up to 15 people are feared dead including five volunteer firefighters after a giant explosion at a fertiliser plant wreaked devastation in the town of West, Texas, leaving hundreds with horrific injuries
Audio: The first 911 calls reporting fertilizer plant explosion
Listen: West Texas explosion police scanner audio
As scant details emerged about the explosion, the owner of the plant, Donald Adair, said he was as shocked as everyone else about the explosion. He told CBS11 that he was sitting at home when he learned of the fire and then 'things just blew up'.
Owner: Donald Adair has owned the West Fertilizer Co. for around seven years
The plant, which Adair has owned for around seven years, had been closed for around three hours at the time of the explosion, and none of the 12 employees were there at the time, he said.
Speaking to the Star-Telegram, his son, 53-year-old Gary Adair, said he heard the massive explosion as he was working on the family farm.
'It felt like an extra loud sonic boom out in the country,' the younger Adair said. 'I hadn't heard a sonic boom since I was a kid. About 30 seconds later, it dawned on me what it was.'
He said his father is too distraught to talk and that neither of them understand what caused the initial fire as machinery is never left on. When his father went to the site after the explosion, he was forced back by emergency crews.
'Everybody in town basically knows everybody,' Adair said, his words soon dissolving into sobs. 'It's really rough. It's a tragedy.'
ABC News reported that 179 people were hospitalized with at least 24 in critical condition, nine of whom are burn victims sent to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. At least 38 people are in serious condition in total, ABC reported.
Victims are likely to have suffered 'blast injuries' including punctured lungs, eardrums, irritated eyes and possibly wounds caused by flying shrapnel and debris. A number of people are also suffering from 'respiratory distress due to chemical inhalation', head injuries and bone fractures.
Glenn Robinson, CEO of Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, where as many as 101 blast victims have been taken, called it a 'very, very unfortunate situation'. Patients have lacerations, orthopedic and burn injuries, he said.
'The injuries that we are seeing are very serious,' he said. 'There are a number of patients that will be going to surgery.'
Damage: One resident shared these images on Facebook of smashed windows and a room filled with earth following the explosion on Wednesday evening
Overwhelming: The explosion was so large that it registered as a magnitude 2.1 earthquake and caused whole streets to 'jump', residents said
Distraught: A firefighter stands on a rail line and surveys the remains of a fertilizer plant destroyed by the explosion, which injured as many as 179
Damage: Maria Galvin cleans up broken glass in the front of her business, after the windows were blown out by the explosion on Wednesday night
Broken: On Thursday morning, firefighter conducts a search and rescue of an apartment complex which was destroyed by the blast
Hunt: Search and rescue teams are now trying to locate any victims in the homes hit by the explosion in West
Grief: West High School senior students Kelsey Hoelscher (center) and Heather Perry (right) embrace after praying for the victims and survivors of the blast
This was once an apartment complex that held fifty units. It was all but completely destroyed in the blast
Cleanup: Rescue crews were forced to wear gas masks and and hazardous materials suits because of the noxious anhydrous ammonia present at the site
This is West Middle School, which was devastated by fire after the explosion at the plant
Helping hand: Teacher Justin A. Miller helps distribute donated bottles of water outside the West Community Center the day after the explosion
TOXIC AND FLAMMABLE: ANHYDROUS AMMONIA
The West Fertilizer facility suffered an anhydrous ammonia explosion, which is ammonia in its liquid or gas state. Anhydrous ammonia is classified as toxic and dangerous for the environment - and is extremely flammable and is capable of forming highly explosive mixtures.
If Ammonia is exposed to iodine, Nitrogen triiodide is formed - which is described as a high explosive - capable of exploding out to six miles out.
The explosion affected other parts of the fertilizer plant too - which could have accelerated the mixing of toxic materials. Anhydrous ammonia is transported as a liquid at temperatures below -28°F.
In the event of a large spill it can form a toxic vapor cloud that is heavier than air until its temperature increases.
It is corrosive to copper, silver, aluminum, zinc and alloys. It reacts with body moisture, so it may burn body tissue - skin, eyes, mouth, throat, lungs and stomach - on contact, if inhaled or swallowed.
He added that 10 or 12 people taken to the hospital are in critical condition, with five in intensive care. Several are undergoing surgery and more than 38 are seriously injured, but there have been no fatalities.
In addition, Providence Healthcare Network in Waco has treated 65 patients, 12 of whom have have broken bones, burns and head injuries. One patient is in critical condition, ABC News reported.
West Mayor Tommy Muska said: 'We've got a lot of people who are hurt, and there's a lot of people, I'm sure, who aren't gonna be here tomorrow. We're gonna search for everybody. We're gonna make sure everybody's accounted for. That's the most important thing right now.'
One resident, Dr. George Smith, explained that the devastation was 'overwhelming' for the small town, which has just three ambulances.
A member of the city council, Al Vanek, said the area was 'totally decimated', while McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara commented: 'It looks like a war zone with all the debris.'
Dr. Smith, said that the explosion was like an 'atomic bomb.'
'Just fire everywhere,' Sammy Chavez, who witnessed the explosion, told NBC. 'Bodies on the ground, bloody bodies, people in panic. Firemen, fire trucks, police cars filled the town.'
The toll of devastation included 50 to 75 houses, an apartment complex with about 50 units that one state police officer said was reduced to 'a skeleton,' a middle school and the West Rest Haven Nursing Home, from which first-responders evacuated 133 patients, some in wheelchairs.
Emergency treatment: Victims from the West fertilizer plant explosion are wheeled into Hillcrest Baptist Medical Hospital in Waco, Texas
Makeshift treatment: Injured people being treated on the flood-lit the high school football field turned into a staging area after the blast
Desperate: School buses were used to ferry residents away from the scene of the explosion. Sergeant W. Patrick Swanton from Waco¿s police department said at least 160 people have been treated for injuries at local hospitals
The toll of devastation included 50 to 75 houses, an apartment complex with about 50 units that one state police officer said was reduced to 'a skeleton,' a middle school and the West Rest Haven Nursing Home, from which first-responders evacuated 133 patients, some in wheelchairs
Mayor Muska said rescuers are now carrying out house-by-house search and rescue in the area around the plants.
Texas Department of Public Safety D.L. Wilson said the damage was comparable to the destruction caused by the 1995 bomb blast that destroyed the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
Rescue efforts have been hampered due to hazardous chemicals in the air following the explosion. First responders were seen wearing respirators to protect themselves.
A thunderstorm has been forecast, which could lead to stronger winds pushing the mist - which can cause significant irritation to eyes and skin, and cause breathing problems - around the area. Those north of the blast have been told to stay inside and keep their windows shut to stop the fumes creeping inside their homes.
Although officials have turned off all the gas, they evacuated half the town because they were worried another tank at the facility might explode.
Blast: According to eyewitnesses firefighters were attending the blaze when there was a sudden explosion - three firefighters are dead according to authorities
Blaze: The blast ripped through West Fertilizer at 7.50pm and fires continue to burn at the scene
Search: The missing volunteer firefighters and a policeman were attending a blaze at the plant at about 7:50pm local time last night it suddenly exploded into a fireball - it thought to be caused by anhydrous ammonia igniting in the heat of the fire
Terrifying: A fire blazes in a home near to the plant - some people are thought still to be trapped in buildings and a number of firefighters are reported missing
VIDEO Fire, explosion and then...'Dad, I can't hear'. Heartbreaking moment girl and father film blast
'Dad I can't hear!' MOMENT of Texas fertilizer plant explosion...
There were subsequent explosions around 10 p.m., according to WFAA. While the cause of the explosions has not yet been reported, a dispatcher was heard in emergency audio recordings warning crews to move away from chemicals in tanks that had not exploded.
Ben Stratmann, a spokesman for Texas State Sen. Brian Birdwell, said: 'What we are hearing is that there is one fertilizer tank that is still intact at the plant, and there are evacuations in place to make sure everyone gets away from the area safely in case of another explosion,' CNN reported.
If the winds turn, the other half of the town will have to be evacuated as well.
As the small town struggles to comprehend the situation, residents and eyewitnesses have described shocking scenes of destruction.
'It's total chaos,' West City Councilwoman Cheryl Marak told ABC News. She said the explosion killed her dog and felled her home, which is about two blocks from the plant.
Remains: A destroyed home burns early Thursday morning as rescue teams search for victims and go from door-to-door to check on residents who could have been hurt
Damage: Other homes and businesses lost windows in the impact of the glass in West, Texas on Wednesday night
'With the explosions, the whole street lifted up. It was like a massive bomb went off. It demolished both my houses, my mother's and mine. I think everything around us is pretty much just gone.'
Dr. George Smith, speaking with cuts and bloody injuries on his face, described apocalyptic scenes as the roof fell in: 'The windows came in on me, the roof came in on me, the ceiling came in and I worked my way out to go get some more help.
He told NBC News: 'Of course, we lost all communication because the power went out.
'The ambulance station is badly damaged, the whole 1500 block of Stillmeadow, which is the closest street to it.
'My son lives there - he was on the second floor when it fell down, it would have fallen on him. That whole street is gone.'
Local residents, some more than a mile away, reported windows being blown out and hearing an explosion that sounded 'like a bomb'.
Local resident Bill Bohannan told the Waco Tribune that the blast knocked him off his feet.
He said: 'I was standing next to my car with my fiancee, waiting for my parents to come out and (the plant) exploded.z
To the rescue: Emergency workers assist an elderly person at an emergency triage area in a local school stadium in West, Texas
Search: The mayor of West, Tommy Muska confirmed the figure of around 160 injured people taken to hospitals
'It knocked us into the car... Every house within about four blocks is blown apart.'
Emergency audio also reveals the panic and chaos among firefighters and others at the scene, ABC reported. 'We need every ambulance we can get this way,' one dispatcher says. 'A bomb just went off. It's pretty bad.'
'Firefighters down,' another said. 'There has been an explosion.'
In the hours after the blast, many of the town's residents wandered the dark and windy streets searching for shelter.
Among them was Julie Zahirniako, who said she and her son, Anthony, had been playing at a school playground near the fertilizer plant when the explosion hit. She was walking the track, he was kicking a football.
The explosion threw her son 4 feet in the air, breaking his ribs. She said she saw people running from the nursing home and the roof of the school lifted into the air.
'The fire was so high,' she said. 'It was just as loud as it could be. The ground and everything was shaking.'
Grim: Today firefighters are painstakingly combing through houses, many reduced to rubble
Precautions: Half the town has been evacuated as as a result of the explosion
Trapped: Reports said a nursing home had collapsed in the explosion and some people were believed trapped inside
Shudder: The blast was so massive that it registered as a magnitude 2.1 earthquake, as this graph from the US Geological Survey shows
Erick Perez, 21, of West, was playing basketball at a nearby school when the fire started.
He and his friends thought nothing of it at first, but about a half-hour later, the smoke changed color. The blast threw him, his nephew and others to the ground and showered the area with hot embers, shrapnel and debris.
'The explosion was like nothing I've ever seen before,' Perez said. 'This town is hurt really bad.'
There was no immediate official word on what sparked the explosion as emergency personnel assisted victims and doused the flames. U.S. Representative Bill Flores, whose district includes West, said he doubted any foul play was involved.
In a morning press conference, Sergeant Swanton said he had no details on the number of people who work at the plant, which was cited by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in 2006 for failing to obtain or to qualify for a permit.
He added that, following the explosion, a 'small amount' of looting was reported overnight.
'There are unidentified people in the neighborhood' around the plant and looters are likely people 'coming in from the street', he said.
Gov. Rick Perry called the explosion 'a truly nightmare scenario for the community' and said he had been in touch with President Barack Obama, who promised his administration's assistance with operations on the ground.
The force of the blast shattered windows of buildings in the surrounding area - some of the injuries were caused by flying shards of glass
Vigil: Baylor University student's hold a candle light vigil outside Waco Hall for the victim's of the West fertilizer plant explosion
Update: Waco Police spokesperson William Swanton speaks at a media conference on Thursday morning but could only provide limited information
Support: Gov. Rick Perry called the explosion 'a truly nightmare scenario for the community' and said he had been in touch with Obama, who promised his administration's assistance
President Obama also released a statement on Thursday, passing on his condolences and prayers.
'A tight-knit community has been shaken, and good, hard-working people have lost their lives,' he said. 'I want to thank the first responders who worked tirelessly through the night to contain the situation and treat the wounded.
'My Administration, through FEMA and other agencies, is in close contact with our state and local partners on the ground to make sure there are no unmet needs as search and rescue and response operations continue.
'West is a town that many Texans hold near and dear to their hearts, and as residents continue to respond to this tragedy, they will have the support of the American people.'
The disaster even drew condolences from Pope Francis, who wrote on his Twitter account: 'Please join me in praying for the victims of the explosion in Texas and their families.'
In 2001, an explosion at a chemical plant killed 31 people and injured more than 2,000 in Toulouse, France. The blast occurred in a hangar containing 300 tons of ammonium nitrate, which can be used for both fertilizer and explosives.
The explosion came 10 days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the U.S., and raised fears at the time it was linked. A 2006 report blamed the blast on negligence.
For those trying to locate their family members please call: 254-826-4115. Information hotline: 254-202-1100
WERE THERE WARNING SIGNS? COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PLANT 'STRETCH BACK FOR YEARS'... BUT THE OPERATORS ASSURED THE GOVERNMENT THERE WAS NO RISK OF AN EXPLOSION OR A FIRE
Proximity: Inspectors noted how close the plant (right) was to schools and homes but said it did not pose a danger to residents or workers
West Fertilizer Co., the scene of the massive explosion in Texas that could have killed as many as 15 people, was cited for failing to obtain or to qualify for a permit in 2006, it has emerged.
Records also reveal that only six fertilizer plants in Texas have been inspected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the last five years, while other reports show the agency is so understaffed that they can only carry out such checks every 129 years.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality investigated West Fertilizer on June 20, 2006, after receiving a complaint of a strong ammonia smell. Agency records show the person who lodged the complaint said the ammonia smell was 'very bad last night' and lingered until after they went to bed.
Later that summer, the plant was fined by the Environmental Protection agency for failing to have a risk management plan that satisfied federal standards, an EPA report shows, WFAA reported. It was issued with a $2,300 penalty on August 14, 2006, records show.
The EPA risk management plan 'includes an executive summary, registration information, off-site consequence analysis, five-year accident history, prevention program and emergency response program' to avoid incidents, its website reads.
Further documents from November 2006 show that the West Fertilizer Co. agreed to meet all standards expected for anhydrous ammonia storage tanks, WFAA reported. It noted the gas would be stored in two 12,000 gallon permanent storage tanks.
The permits also said it would hold an internal inspection once every day during business hours to make sure there were no ammonia leaks. It promised it would only fill the tanks to 85 per cent capacity, and that it would build a wall between tanks and the road to avoid vehicle collisions.
The documents show that there were no public comments for or against permits from those living near to the plant.
It comes as it was revealed that the operators of the plant told government regulators that there was not a risk of a fire or explosion from ammonia stored there. The Dallas Morning News shared another EPA report revealing that the company said the 'worst possible scenario... would be a 10-minute release of ammonia gas that would or injure no one'.
The emergency planning report uncovered by the News shows that the plant had as much as 54,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia on hand, but no other dangerous chemicals.
Other inspectors noted the proximity of the plant to schools and homes, without passing any judgment on the safety of this.
'There are two schools located within 3000 ft of this facility, however, the impact potential is described by the region [regional Texas Commission on Environmental Quality office] as low,' a 2007 report noted. 'The nearest off property receptor, a residence, is 350 ft from the plant.'
A letter sent to parents of children at West Intermediate School, which is across the road from the plant, reveals that the school was temporarily evacuated because of a 'concerning fire' in February. 'The evacuation was executed in calm, but serious fashion,' it said.
The letter noted that the school had not been notified ahead of time that the plant had been carryong out a controlled burn, so the principal had called 911. The school asked for better communication with such notifications.
The cause of Wednesday night's explosion remains under investigation.