Page 8 - Fighting Fire News Today

Under way in this small town. it is named west, west, texas. its about 18 miles away from waco, texas. there was this massive explosion at this fertilizer plant last night. so strong it registered as a 2.1 magnitude. authorities say homes leveled, businesses leveled. right now police estimate between 5 and 15 people have died but they may totally clear that these estimates are preliminary. they could grow. they simply have no idea. they wont have an idea until daylight there. >> area hospitals h...

Me as some smoldering fires that continued, not only in the homes in the neighborhood but also inside the fertilizer plant itself. obviously, theyre going to want to be very careful in entering any of the structures, whether its a home, a business or the fertilizer plant, because we certainly dont want any more casualties from this fire. yes, maam. >> sir, that north side of town they have -- [ inaudible ] >> i have asked that question specifically about the environmental impact and the potentia...

Again, im told thats not going to be a concern based on the fire being under -- mostly under control. >> two things you may have answered already. any continuing or has fire resumed and the geography, how many blocks affected by the damage? >> when i talked to chief deputy kauffman from mclennan county s.o., he described the devastation as immediately around the area as devastating. he said homes were leveled. he said it just kind of depended on where you were. now, he didnt give me specifics bu...

Start to see what things look like on the ground a bit better. back over to you. >> jennifer, thank you very much. its a little bit of a mixed bag. water obviously helpful in fighting fire but its more helpful to firefighters by wetting down surrounding areas in wildfire situations to control movement. the wind, it all depends on which way it blows. theyre going to have to see the intensity of it and the direction. >> and we are seeing pictures of people being treated right now, football field...

Concerned about that anhydrous ammonia, that fire, theyre not as concerned about the winds shifting that. initially there was some thought about evacuating the other part of the town. at this point, it seems theyre not as concerned about that. >> george, the range of injuries right now, are we talking about mostly blast injuries or any sense of chemical exposure? >> its a range of thing. respiratory issues and, yeah, bruises, broken bones. we also know that at one of the hospitals here, at scott...

This is a special edition of "early start." im john berman. >> im chris cuomo. 6:00 a.m. in the east. a lot going on. were going to begin with the breaking news were following out of texas. this started last night. local time, 7:29 there in west, texas. then at 7:53, the explosion. first came word of the fire. it has been a battle beyond compare in the area. it is being compared to war zone by those who are fighting it right now trying to get the fire under control, especially with the added ing...

Until it is safe in order to find potential victims. so, just a really tragic situation. hes lived in that community for 38 years. you know, that is his home. a very difficult situation. >> people on the ground trying to compare it to a bomb or trying to compare it to other disasters, but anyone who lives in a town like this knows a fire at a fertilizer plant is incredibly dangerous. first responders responding to a situation of a fire where theres anhydrous ammonia stored under very high pressu...

Center, four patients taken there. at these hospitals, a lot of injuries. were seeing everything from scrapes and bruises, broken bones, respiratory issues from this anhydrous ammonia that officials are very concerned about, but no deaths have been reported at these hospitals. the big concern tonight, going into daylight hours, is a storm system moving through. it will hamper that search and rescue operation, but fire officials say that the death toll here could rise as high as 70. so, you know,...

Investigation at that crime scene, which is the fertilizer plant. mclellan county sheriffs department will be investigating any of the deaths that resulted from that explosion earlier this evening. there will be investigators by mclellan county sfo. firefighters on the scene fighting the fire. the explosion occurred while they were actively trying to put that fire out. there was a law enforcement official on that scene as well that was working with the fire department in some type of capacity. u...

Tonight. massive. just like iraq. just like the murray building in oklahoma city. >> the local authorities telling us now they believe the greatest threat from the fire is over but they are still battling it. firefighters are still missing and the big "x" factor, potentially deadly gas could be ling eering in the air connecte to fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia. >> and this, a possible break in the boston marathon bombing. investigators identifying two possible suspects who were seen near the finis...