BASF Factory Fire Causes Injuries, Production Outage
18 Injured in Explosion and Subsequent Fire
Leak of Organic Solvent Blamed for Incident
A massive explosion and subsequent fire at the main plant of German chemical giant BASF in Ludwigshafen, Germany, has left 18 workers with minor injuries and caused significant production disruptions.
The incident occurred on Monday at approximately 12 noon when an explosion set off a fire in the southern part of the site, according to BASF officials. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, but a leak of an organic solvent is believed to have played a role.
The fire was brought under control several hours later, but not before it had caused extensive damage to the plant, disrupting production of chemicals and other products. The company said it is still assessing the extent of the damage and the impact on production schedules.
The injured workers were treated at local hospitals, and none are believed to be in life-threatening condition. BASF has expressed regret for the incident and said it is cooperating fully with authorities to investigate the cause and prevent similar incidents in the future.
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