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At least 14 workers were “slightly injured” at the massive BASF Ludwigshafen plant in Germany in an explosion and subsequent fire, the multinational chemical giant has said.
The incident unfolded on Monday afternoon with a blast heard at the sprawling plant, the largest integrated chemicals production complex in the world. A thick plume of black smoke was seen emanating from the facility, with locals reportedly told to keep their windows and doors shut. Authorities later gave the all-clear and lifted the notice.
Over a dozen workers sustained light injuries in the initial blast, the company said in a statement.
“Fourteen employees were slightly injured in the incident,” BASF said, adding that all the affected employees were receiving precautionary care on site.
The fire was quenched by the plant’s firefighting teams, with no dangerous chemicals leaked into the environment, the company claimed, adding that only “slightly elevated levels of hydrocarbons” were registered in the immediate area.
There was no danger to the public at any time,” BASF insisted.
The company said it has already established the cause of the incident, yet not disclosed it publicly thus far.
BASF is the largest chemical producer in the world, headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The plant in the site is the company’s oldest and largest facility, with subsidiaries and joint ventures operating in more than 80 countries with some 400 production sites.