Two German residents were killed on Tuesday after a massive explosion at an industrial park for chemical companies that also injured at least 31 people, leaving several people still missing hours after the incident.
Later, fire officials tested the air and said it was relatively safe for nearby residents to breathe in after authorities initially warned people to stay inside their homes in fear of toxic fumes. A large black smoke rose into the sky from the explosion at the waste management facility of the Chempark site in Leverkusen near Cologne. It took firefighters nearly four hours to completely extinguish the fire that spread as a result of the blast.
Massive Chemical Explosion
Initially, the country's Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance classified the blast as an "extreme threat." But on Tuesday, authorities from the Cologne fire department posted a tweet that said the pollution measurements did not show any signs of abnormality. Officials noted that the smoke has since reduced but would still be monitored for potential toxins.
Officials from the city of Leverkusen revealed that the explosion originated from storage tanks for solvents. Chempark operator Currenta said on Tuesday that a second fatal victim of the blast was confirmed. They added that at least 31 people were injured, and five employees are still missing, Fox News reported.
The explosion occurred at around 9:40 a.m. and resulted in a fire at a fuel depot in the industrial park for chemicals companies, including Bayer and Lanxess. Authorities were still searching for the missing individuals as officials said that two of the workers were seriously injured.
Currenta spokesperson Maximilian Laufer said that the fire was later brought under control. Despite the area of origin of the blast being known, authorities still had no information about the cause of the massive explosion. The company initially advised nearby residents to turn off their air conditioning systems in fear of toxic fumes.
Citizens were warned with sirens and emergency alerts in the German civil protection agency's mobile phone app for "extreme danger." Authorities also closed several nearby motorways, advising drivers to take detours to their destinations and avoid the area, CNN reported.
Search and Rescue Operations
Lars Friedrich, the director of Chempark, said the full analysis of the black cloud from the explosion will not be available for several days. He expressed his hopes that the missing people might still be alive somewhere.
Powerful winds during the incident blew the fire over inhabited parts of the area, which caused concerns among authorities, who later cautioned residents to be mindful. Miles away, people were still able to hear the sound of the powerful blast.
Uwe Richrath, the mayor of Leverkusen, called that day "tragic" for the city and cited the region's historical links to the chemical industry. He said all of the city's residents knew about the chemical industry and might have even had family members who worked there.
Friedrich said that only after the site has been cleared can authorities begin investigating the root cause of the explosion, the New York Times reported.