On July 27, local time, an explosion occurred at a hazardous waste incineration plant in Leverkusen, western Germany, and a large amount of thick smoke emitted from the site. As of about 21:00 that night, two victims had been found at the accident site. The accident has injured 31 people and five others are still missing. The specific cause of the accident is still under investigation after the risks are completely eliminated at the scene.
According to reports, at about 9:40 a.m. that day, an explosion occurred in a factory in a chemical park in Leverkusen. Currenta, the operator of the park, said that the explosion injured several staff members. At least two people were seriously injured and were receiving treatment. Five others were missing.
According to reports, when the explosion occurred, a thick black smoke rose over the city. Local residents were asked to close their doors and windows, and some roads were blocked.
At present, the cause of the explosion is not yet clear, and the police and fire departments are taking action. Local media reported that the factory where the explosion occurred belonged to German pharmaceutical and agrochemical giant Bayer.
On the evening of July 27, Bayer China responded to the above news: Regarding the news of the explosion at the Leverkusen Chemical Industry Zone factory, Bayer has paid attention to it as soon as possible, and We sincerely hope that everyone in the area involved is safe. The explosion occurred at a chemical park operated by Currenta, not a Bayer plant, and Bayer will also pay close attention to the development.
According to the latest report from CCTV News, the explosion occurred in the Leverkusen Chemical Park, which is one of the largest chemical parks in Europe, with a total of More than 70 companies are located at three campus locations in Leverkusen, Dormagen and Krefeld-Uerdingen. In addition, the explosion did not occur in the core area of the chemical park, but in the area of the landfill and incineration plant.
According to reports, three chemical storage tanks in the park were affected by the explosion. After the explosion, a large amount of thick black smoke blew into the air. The local Civil Defense and Disaster Assistance Office (BBK) immediately classified the explosion as “extremely dangerous” and called on nearby residents to stay at home temporarily. The police also blocked the chemical industry park. It took firefighters nearly four hours to extinguish the fire on a nearby main road. Leverkusen authorities determined that the explosion occurred in a storage tank storing chemical solvents.
Lars Friedrich, the head of Currenta, the main operator of Chempark, said that the explosion killed 2 people and injured 31 people. The whereabouts of 5 people are still unknown. The survival of the missing people is unknown. The odds are decreasing rapidly. Since all the solvent in the oil tank was burned, it is not known what specific substances were released. The park is currently cooperating with the authorities to collect samples.
Leverkusen Mayor Uwe Richrath said that the explosion was a tragedy for Leverkusen. Because the smoke generated after the explosion polluted the air, city officials also warned local people not to let children play outdoors, use outdoor swimming pools, or eat fruits and vegetables grown in their own backyards in the next few days. The fire department in nearby Cologne said that initial air pollution measurements did not reveal any abnormalities and that experts will continue to measure the toxins floating in the air.
However, the New York Times stated that the Cologne Fire Department stated later on the 27th that air measurements in the city of Cologne, 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) away from the incident, “did not show any abnormalities. “. City fire crews will continue to measure surrounding air for toxins.
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