Philippines monitoring Texas massive explosion

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday that it was monitoring the recent massive explosion in a fertilizer plant in Waco, Texas that left many dead and hundreds more injured.

A person looks on as emergency workers fight a house fire after a near by fertilizer plant exploded Wednesday, April 17, 2013, in West, Texas.AP

“The Philippine Embassy in Washington and Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles are monitoring the massive explosion near Waco, Texas,” DFA Spokesman Raul Hernandez said in a text message.

“The Consulate is now trying to get in touch with the Filipino Community leaders to determine if there are Filipinos affected by the explosion,” he said. “Filipino population is concentrated in Houston and Dallas. Total number of Filipinos in Texas is 160,000.”

The explosion occurred around 8:00 pm (0100 GMT) US time and caused many local residents as far away as 300 meters to be knocked down by the force of the explosion, according to news reports.

Nearby buildings were knocked over while others were set ablaze, reports said.

A local resident Crystal Anthony had told local newspaper Waco Tribune-Herald that a nearby nursing home, an apartment complex and a school caught fire because of the explosion.

The incident came a day after a bombing during the Boston marathon where three people were killed and wounded more than 170.