Texan stars lead tributes to locals caught up in fertiliser plant blast

Texas-born stars Willie Nelson and Eva Longoria are among the celebrities sending their sympathies to residents of a small community in the state which was rocked by a massive fertiliser plant explosion. The town of West, near Waco in Texas, has been evacuated after a huge blast ripped through the West Fertiliser Plant on Wednesday (17Apr13), sending a giant fireball into the sky.
At least 160 people have been treated for injuries following the explosion, and authorities confirm there have been fatalities, but have yet to give an estimated figure.
Local stars Longoria and Nelson, who both grew up in the state, were among the first to reach out to victims of the blast.
The Desperate Housewives star took to Twitter.com to write, “Keeping the people of West, Texas in my thoughts and prayers”, while Nelson wrote on his page, “West has been in my backyard all my life. My heart is praying for the community that we call home.”
Pop star Katy Perry added her thoughts on the disaster, writing, “Reading all the news about Texas. It’s a very sad time for lots of ppl (people). Let’s send extra love & light out. Don’t take anything for granted.”
Country singer Blake Shelton also took to the social networking site to write, “Man… Thinking about all my Texas family and friends tonight. I love y’all.”
Meanwhile, La Toya Jackson tweeted her prayers: “Let’s pray for the love ones & their families who are effected (sic) by the explosion in Texas! How sad.”
It is the second tragedy on American soil this week (begs15Apr13) after the double bombing at the Boston Marathon in Massachusetts on Monday (15Apr13), which left three dead and more than 170 injured.