According to police, 18 people, including seven firefighters, were slightly injured in an explosion and fire at the main plant of the chemical company BASF in Ludwigshafen (Germany) on Monday.

The company, which is based in the second largest city in Rhineland-Palatinate, said that 15 employees were slightly injured and were examined in the plant ambulance as a precaution. However, they were able to leave again afterwards. The fire was extinguished by the plant fire brigade. The affected plant had been shut down and was in a safe condition. Environmental monitoring vehicles were travelling inside and outside the site. They detected slightly elevated levels of hydrocarbons within the site and in neighbouring areas. “There was no danger to the population at any time,” the company announced.

The explosion following the release of an organic solvent occurred in the southern section of the plant of the world’s largest chemical company. Investigations into the course of events are ongoing. According to the Rheinpfalz police headquarters, the criminal investigation department has started an investigation. The extent of the damage was not yet known. Due to the heavy smoke development, which could also be seen from neighbouring Mannheim on the opposite side of the Rhine, the Ludwigshafen fire brigade issued advice to the population via the Katwarn and Nina warning apps, for example, to close windows and doors and switch off ventilation and air conditioning systems. The authorities also switched on a so-called hazard information hotline.

Vehicles from several fire brigades and BASF’s environmental monitoring team checked the area around the site for pollutants. After the fire had been extinguished, the measurements no longer revealed any unusual or elevated levels, according to the city authorities. There was therefore no danger to the population beyond the odour nuisance. The hazard alert was cancelled.

Source: dpa