(3:02 p.m. ET): WFAA has one of the closest aerial shots of the blast crater.

.@wfaachannel8 has a clear aerial look at the explosion zone in #WestTX. More photos: abcn.ws/15oATvm twitter.com/ABC/status/324… — ABC News (@ABC) April 18, 2013

(11:40 a.m. ET): More on ammonia and fertilizer. Regulators generally allow it to be stored in such large quantities because ammonia only ignites on 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant in West was cited back in 2006 when residents complained to state officials that there was a strong smell of ammonia leaking from the plant. However, a safety reported delivered to the EPA by plant stated there was no risk of fire or explosion.

(11:26 a.m. ET): To give you a sense of the devastation, here's a Google Street View image of the apartment building located just a few hundred yards from the fertilizer plant.

Here's how it looks today (via AP):

Here's another house that's been completely obliterated. This video was shot by WFAA and reporter David Schechter. The map below shows you where the house was before it burned, and where it is in relation to the blast.



View Larger Map

(11:00 a.m.): More accounts are starting to emerge from witnesses and first responders. One man who helped rescue patients from the shattered nursing home says he pulled 16 people, some of whom were trapped under sheet rock when the ceiling collapsed.

The sheet rock was on top of patients. As quick as I could I could get that. The halls were in devastation … I pulled out 16 people. I carried two at one time to hurry up and try and get them out because I knew how bad it was.

There also this touching description of West from a former resident:

There are fatalities, and even though I haven’t seen a list, I’m quite sure I know at least one of the names. I’d be surprised if I didn’t. The town is too small and goes back too many generations. Every quote in every story is from someone I know ... The last time I was really there was in September, for my high school reunion. I took a long look around my old neighborhood, in the shadow of the fertilizer plant. I’m glad I did, because it’s mostly gone now, and whatever’s left will never be the same.

#westexplosion injury update:170 injured, 40 admitted, 9 in parkland burn, several critical. — Janet St. James (@janetstjames) April 18, 2013

(9:40a.m. ET): Police just gave another short briefing on the situation and say that searchers are still going to house-to-house looking for survivors and victims, but did have any details about what has been found. He says they are still in "search and rescue mode" and not "recovery mode." The danger of a second explosion has also be significantly reduced.

The Waco police spokesperson says there are reports of some looting in damaged houses—homes as far as five blocks away were "leveled"—but while none of the fires are out of control, but the area is still too dangerous to allow media to get close. There are still "three to four" firefighters that are still missing. One constable who was considered missing has been found alive, but injured. No other casualty figures have been confirmed.