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Watch: Black smoke billows from Texas chemical plant

Flames engulfed a large complex at a Magnablend, Inc., facility in Waxahachie, about 30 miles south of Dallas, where the fast-moving blaze consumed a fire truck at the scene and flames neared railroad tracks.

A FIRE AT a chemical plant south of Dallas, Texas shot massive plumes of black smoke and bright orange flames into the sky today, forcing schoolchildren and residents to evacuate or take cover indoors to avoid possible exposure to dangerous gases.

Flames engulfed a large complex at a Magnablend, Inc., facility in Waxahachie, about 30 miles south of Dallas, where the fast-moving blaze consumed a fire truck at the scene and flames neared railroad tracks alongside the property.

Magnablend spokesman Donald Golden told WFAA-TV that the 25 to 30 employees who were inside a warehouse at the plant evacuated safely when the fire broke out before 11 a.m. Golden said the company manufactures about 200 products, including some that are hazardous when ignited, but there was no immediate word on what caused the blaze.

“I can only speculate on what’s going on inside that building right now,” Golden said of the 100,000-square-foot warehouse.

Waxahachie Fire Department spokeswoman Amy Hollywood said there were no reports of injuries in the area by midafternoon. Officials could not say for sure what was burning.

“It’s the building that’s burning, and there’s chemicals inside, multiple kinds of chemicals,” Hollywood said. “Saying which kind would be speculative.”

Authorities ordered residents closest to the plant to evacuate, while others were advised to stay inside with doors and windows shut.

Chemical smell

Jessenia Colin, an assistant general manager at a nearby Hampton Inn and Suites, said hotel staff members were turning off air vents so smoke and chemicals didn’t enter the rooms.

As they waited for news and watched the smoke billow, staff covered their mouths to protect against the heavy chemical smell that hung in the air, she said.

“It smells like a whole bunch of chemicals, like wrappers burning,” Colin said. “It’s making everyone’s heads hurt.”

Stephanie Otto said she was preparing her new restaurant for a Tuesday opening about a quarter-mile from the plant when she heard sirens and walked outside to see a “huge plume.” She said she could hear what sounded like gun shots for about 15 minutes, and there was a strong smell of ammonia.

“It was huge,” Otto said. “It looked like an atomic bomb went off.”

Magnablend Inc.

Ellis County emergency management officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for an apartment complex, an elementary school and a junior college. Sheriff’s officials urged residents not to drive toward the area of the fire.

Waxahachie Independent School District spokeswoman Nicole Mansell said Wedgeworth Elementary School students had been safely bused to another school’s gymnasium by 12:25 p.m. Navarro College cancelled all classes for its 2,500 or so students.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was setting up air monitoring equipment to gauge whether further precautions were needed, said agency spokeswoman Lisa Wheeler.

She said Magnablend has been in compliance with its state permits. A search of public documents revealed no significant violations for the company.

Magnablend, Inc., manufactures, blends and packages chemicals. Much of its business revolves around energy production, including chemicals used to stimulate oil and gas wells and hydraulic fracturing.

The company was launched in Waxahachie in 1979 and now employs about 250 people, with operations in Pennsylvania, Wyoming and North Dakota as well as Texas.

Watch (courtesy of Hollywood2NY via YouTube):

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    Mute David Higgins
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    Oct 9th 2011, 9:32 AM

    Disobey the rules, don’t except our sympathy when the consequences arrive!

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    Mute Mack O'Connell
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    Oct 9th 2011, 9:47 AM

    The Nazis were just following the "rules" also.

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    Mute James Quirke
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    Oct 9th 2011, 9:55 AM

    ever heard of a thing called civil disobedience at all?

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    Mute Ronald
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    Oct 9th 2011, 12:40 PM

    You say ‘civil disobedience’ as if it was the equivalent to peaceful protesting!

    Jeeez, some people seem to think that their self-righteousness justifies breaking the law!

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    Mute Conor Murphy
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    Oct 9th 2011, 1:04 PM

    If I was working as a security guard for A MUSEUM and some self righteous twit held down my co-worker I’d get them off pretty sharply too.

    Now not saying that’s definitely what happened but they have no right to physically restrain a working member of the public.

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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Oct 9th 2011, 10:10 AM

    They called medics caused they were peppered sprayed. Should be done for wasting their time.

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    Mute Noel Peare
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    Oct 9th 2011, 11:31 AM

    Have you ever seen the results of pepper spray? I worked in a nightclub where a girl was pepper sprayed. She was in agony afterwards. I found it hard to stay near her as the residue on her face was enough to cause my eyes and face to have the same symptoms. She was taken away by ambulance & I assure you it was necessary.

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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Oct 9th 2011, 12:53 PM

    While never been pepper sprayed myself I have seen the effects of those who have numerous times(actually more than numerous) and ALL just had to wash out there eyes with water.

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    Mute joseph mcgee
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    Oct 10th 2011, 12:58 AM

    more than numerous? how many is more than numerous? is it, loike, a lot?
    do tell flanagan, how and where did u see the effects of those who’ve been pepper sprayed
    numerous times. sorry i mean more than numerous times
    CSI or some other show?

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    Mute steve white
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    Oct 9th 2011, 9:54 AM

    Conservative Spectator Magazine Brags of its Agent Provacateur’s Role in Provoking Attack on DC Museum http://t.co/Gsm8wqTK

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    Mute Niall Carson
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    Oct 9th 2011, 10:56 AM

    Sounds pretty damming

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    Mute Ronald
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    Oct 9th 2011, 12:43 PM

    They rushed and held down a security guard… A normal Average Joe doing his job… Not an SS Officer!

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    Oct 9th 2011, 11:43 AM

    Heil Obama!

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    Oct 9th 2011, 12:11 PM

    bloddy yanks

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    Mute Pete Gibson
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    Oct 9th 2011, 12:09 PM

    Amazing how they don’t object to war aircraft which carry a living pilot!
    They seem to have a superstitious fear of automation.

    Drones are just the start of the automation.
    Google Earth can tell me the difference in latitude and longitude between the front and the back of my car parked in my driveway.
    Within 20 years piloted warplanes will look as antiquated as the Wright Brothers plane in Kitty Hawk in 1903.

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    Mute Saffron Marriott
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    Oct 9th 2011, 11:26 AM

    I got chili in my eyes making a curry recently and it was truly awful – poor people

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