From Minor To Critical - Doc Talks Plant Explosion Injuries
MCLENNAN COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - After the explosion at the West Fertilizer plant in West, first responders took the majority of those injured to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco.
More 100 were taken to Hillcrest. While many of those injured just had cuts and scrapes and have already been treated and released, there are more than two-dozen blast victims who remain hospitalized; five of them in critical condition.
Looking at the bright side, officials reported that there had been no fatalities at the medical center.
As ambulances lined up to ferry the injured from the scene, passersby were already hurrying their neighbors to the hospital. The wounded were everywhere.
"A guy that lives across the street from us, he lost an eye," explained Tyler Justice, whose fiancée survived the explosion. "The other lady that lived across the street, she cut her neck open."
♦♦♦ Complete Coverage Of West Fertilizer Explosion ♦♦♦
Just a couple of blocks from the plant, the home of the Mormon family was leveled. Thankfully, the family wasn't inside – they had gone outside to watch the fire.
Blast survivor Ashley Mormon, Tyler's fiancée, said, "All of a sudden there was this loud, big explosion and chaos." Being inside the building Ashley recalled, "It was really loud and everything went black. I just remember it felt like stuff was swirling around my head. I couldn't see. I was… taste dirt and what not [It was] scary, really scary."
Ashley wasn't serious hurt, but her mother wasn't so lucky. So far, her mom has undergone one operation and is doing well.
Dealing with a mass intake of victims is something hospital officials say they were prepared for. The CEO of Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, Glenn Robinson, said, "As trauma hospitals, we practice all the time for events that we hope never occur. But when events occur our team knew just what to do."
♦♦♦ See Photos From The Explosion Scene ♦♦♦
Realizing the devastation that many Texas families are dealing with Ashley said, "We're alive, and we have our family and we can replace everything else that can be replaced. God was on our side."
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