International.
Two people killed, eight people seriously injured and one missing (at the close of this note) is the balance left by an explosion at the main plant of the BASF chemical company, located in Ludwigshafen, southwest Germany.
Plant Manager Uwe Liebert reported that the explosion occurred after a fire in an oil pipeline where liquids are loaded and discharged. The fire was extinguished Monday night, about 10 hours after the explosion.
Among the substances that burned were ethylene, the company said, a chemical used to make solvents and insulation products, as well as propylene, used for vehicle paints and adhesives. The company said it does not yet know the cause of the explosion.
The Research and Production Headquarters in Ludwigshafen employs more than 39,000 people and is the location of the company's headquarters. The plant is BASF's largest production site worldwide.
