An explosion at Chempark, an industrial park for chemical companies in Germany, killed at least one person July 27, with 31 others injured and four missing. According to fire officials, there did not appear to be a danger to nearby residents after authorities initially urged people to shelter inside.
The blast happened at around 9.40 a.m. "for still unknown reasons,” Chempark operator Currenta said. It added that the incident occurred at Chempark's landfill and waste incineration area in Leverkusen's Buerrig district. This area is separate from the main industrial park that houses numerous chemical companies including Bayer, Lanxess and Evonik Industries, notes RTÉ.ie -- the website of Raidió Teilifís Éireann, Ireland's National Public Service Media.
The blast had triggered a fire in tanks used as storage for liquid solvents awaiting incineration, Chempark head Lars Friedrich said.
Three of the tanks "were completely or partially destroyed,” Friedrich said, making it impossible to tell for now where the explosion started.
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