Many Injured After Blast at Texas Fertiliser Plant

Many people are reported to be injured and others are trapped in burning buildings after an explosion at a fertiliser plant near Waco in the US state of Texas.

Firefighters, ambulances and six helicopters have been mobilised to deal with the situation.

Several buildings are reported to be on fire, some of them in neighbouring residential areas, KWTX-TV reported.

The blast at the West Fertilizer plant was reported at 19:50 (00:50 GMT).

The cause of the explosion is not yet clear.

TV images showed ambulance crews using a nearby sports field as an emergency treatment area.

"An explosion has ignited adjacent structures to the plant," Waco Assistant Fire Chief Don Yeager told AFP news agency.

One local resident told KWTX-TV that she heard several explosions from 13 miles (20km) away.

"It sounded like three bombs going off very close to us,'' said Lydia Zimmerman.
 

Posted in: US