<Table> External video <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> "Dangerously Close: Explosion in West, Texas". U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board safety video about the fire and explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in West, Texas </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> "Dangerously Close: Explosion in West, Texas". U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board safety video about the fire and explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in West, Texas </Td> </Tr> <P> The facility caught fire on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 . At 7: 50: 38 p.m. CDT (00: 50 UTC, April 18), as firefighters were attempting to douse the flames, it exploded with the force of 7.5 - 10 tons of TNT . </P> <P> After weeks of investigation, the cause of the initial fire remained unknown; authorities ruled out weather, natural causes, anhydrous ammonia, and ammonium nitrate in a rail car as possible causes . </P>

2013 explosion at a fertilizer plant in west texas