At least one dead, four missing in chemical park explosion in Germany

World

Published: 2021-07-27 16:03

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 21:18


At least one dead, four missing in chemical park explosion in Germany
At least one dead, four missing in chemical park explosion in Germany

At least one person was killed and 16 others were injured in an explosion that occurred at an industrial park for chemical companies in Leverkusen, western Germany, while four others remain missing.

Initially, authorities urged people to shelter inside, however, fire officials who tested the air said there did not appear to be a danger to nearby residents.

The explosion at the waste management facility of the Chempark site sent a large black cloud into the air. It took firefighters around four hours to extinguish the fire that broke out after the explosion.

Authorities initially classified the incident as “an extreme threat.” However, later on Tuesday, Germany's federal office for civil protection and disaster assistance tweeted that measurements of the air’s pollution “do not show any kind of abnormality.”

They added the smoke had receded but that they would continue to measure the air for toxins.

The city of Leverkusen said in a statement that 16 people were injured, four of whom were hospitalized with severe injuries following the explosion.

“We are deeply concerned about this tragic accident and the death of our employee,” the head of Chempark, Lars Friedrich, said in a statement.

According to Currenta, the company operating the chemical park, the explosion occurred at around 9:40am and then developed into a fire.