Texas Explosion: 15 Dead And 179 Injured After Fertilizer Plant Blazes

AT least 15 people were feared dead last night after a fertiliser plant exploded “like a nuclear bomb” decimating a Texas town.

A further 179 people were injured as entire blocks — including a school and nursing home — were destroyed in the blast heard 50 miles away.

Sources fear the death toll will rise as 400 emergency service workers last night desperately combed wreckage for survivors. Houses had just been evacuated by firefighters, including 133 residents from a nearby nursing home, which was obliterated.

The blast happened at 8pm local time so a local school — also flattened — was empty of children. Mayor Tommy Muska said: “It was like a nuclear bomb went off, a big old mushroom cloud.

Town Sheriff Parnell McNamara admitted: “I’ve never seen anything like this. It looks like a war zone.” 

Eyewitness Sammy Chavez, wearing a blood-soaked T-shirt, added: “The school’s gone, the apartments are gone. It’s just horrible.”

The cause of the fire and blast at the West Fertilizer Co plant was still unclear last night.

However, 20,000 tons of highly explosive anhydrous ammonia were reported to be on site. The chemical is normally injected into soil to help crops grow but can become deadly when mixed with air.