REUTERS
The remains of a West, Texas fertilizer plant burn after Wednesday's explosion.
Police in Texas say it's not clear how many people remain trapped in the rubble after a fertilizer plant explosion that killed as many as 15 people and injured more than 160 others.
Waco Police Sgt. William Patrick Swanton says early Thursday he doesn't know how many people have been rescued since the Wednesday night explosion in downtown West.
But he says officials on the ground remain in "search and rescue mode," going building to building in the largely decimated neighborhood surrounding the plant.
He says he knows some firefighters still are missing.
Swanton says a thunderstorm that rolled through the area early Thursday has helped in some ways, including tamping down chemicals released from the plant.
A senior Obama administration official said a series of briefings overnight have produced concern the Texas blast could have been at least criminal in nature. Authorities are trying to contain their speculation for fear of causing a panic, but the official told The Post the cause of the blast is "suspicious."
Authorities suspect the blast was set off by a truck or rail car holding a large quantity of ammonia that somehow caught fire or blew up. Ammonia, under certain conditions, can become combustible or explosive.
"It's 50-50," the source said. "Some sort of explosion caused the ammonia truck/rail car to create a shockwave up to a half-mile away, destroying that little town."
Federal sources tell the Post there's been no suggestion of terrorism at this point. The area is still too hot to go in and look for clues, but there's been no chatter and certainly no claim of responsibility.
"There is always a possibility that it could be criminal or terrorist-related but that has not been suggested at this point," said a senior Homeland Security official.
"There was an apartment complex that was completely destroyed. It looked like a bomb blast in Iraq," said Texas state trooper spokesman D.L. Wilson, who told The Post that the blast, in the town of West, injured "hundreds" of people and damaged 75 homes.
"There were 133 victims in the nursing home that we had to get out," Wilson said.
"A lot of elderly people were injured by flying bricks."
In early-morning press conferences, Waco Police Department Sergeant William Patrick Swanton said a group of firefighters - working to evacuate residents and put out the initial fire - remain unaccounted for, as does a law enforcement officer.
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