An explosion and subsequent fire occurred at BASF’s Ludwigshafen site
At least 14 workers sustained minor injuries at the massive BASF Ludwigshafen plant in Germany following an explosion and subsequent fire, according to the multinational chemical giant. The incident, which occurred on Monday afternoon, involved a blast heard at the sprawling plant, the largest integrated chemicals production complex in the world. A thick plume of black smoke billowed from the facility, prompting authorities to advise local residents to keep their windows and doors closed. The notice was later lifted after authorities deemed the area safe.
The company stated in a statement that over a dozen workers sustained minor injuries in the initial blast.
“Fourteen employees were slightly injured in the incident,” BASF said, adding that all affected employees were receiving precautionary care at the site.
The plant’s firefighting teams extinguished the fire, and the company claims that no hazardous chemicals were released into the environment. According to BASF, only “slightly elevated levels of hydrocarbons” were detected in the immediate vicinity.
“There was no danger to the public at any time,” BASF maintained.
The company has already determined the cause of the incident but has not yet disclosed it publicly.
BASF, headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany, is the world’s largest chemical producer. The plant at the site is the company’s oldest and largest facility, with subsidiaries and joint ventures operating in over 80 countries across approximately 400 production sites.