Explosion at Fertilizer Plant in Texas
By CNN Staff
(CNN) — An explosion ripped through a fertilizer plant Wednesday night in West, Texas, CNN affiliate KWTX reported.
A photo taken after the explosion — which reportedly happened around 7:50 p.m. (8:50 p.m. ET) — showed a huge plume of smoke rising high into the air.
The West Fertilizer Plant is located about 20 miles north of Waco. A school and a nursing home are among the buildings near the plant.
Authorities did not respond immediately to CNN’s requests for comment on Wednesday night.
Tommy Alford, who works in a convenience store about three miles from the plant, told CNN that several volunteer firefighters were at the store when they spotted smoke.
Alford said the firefighters headed toward the scene and then between five and 10 minutes later, he heard a massive explosion.
CNN’s Chandler Friedman contributed to this report.
