An explosion followed by a fire, the causes of which were not known at the time, occurred Tuesday, January 14, in a chemical factory in Tarragona, in the northeast of Spain. Regional authorities report at least one dead, eight injured and one missing.
Civil Protection assured that no "toxic substance" had been detected in the vicinity of the IQOXE (Chemical industries of ethylene oxide) complex affected by the explosion. The firefighters indicated that about thirty teams were on site to put out the fire which rose from an ethylene oxide tank, and "cool the neighboring tanks".
Videos of large flames and columns of smoke are circulating on social media.
The explosion, which took place just before 7 p.m. local time (6 p.m. GMT) in the factory, left eight people injured, two of whom were seriously burned, according to the emergency services. A person died inside a building near the industrial park, which collapsed due to the shock wave, said Civil Protection. Finally, a person who worked on the spot is missing, according to the services of the regional interior manager.
Initially, the authorities asked the population of several neighboring localities to confine themselves to their homes, but the measure only applies to a few areas in the immediate vicinity of the industrial park. "Environmental units that have visited the site report that no toxic airborne substance has been detected in the surroundings," said Civil Protection.
The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez offered to the Catalan regional president Quim Torra "all the necessary support", adding to be "very attentive to the information which arrives on the fire".
With AFP
Newsletter Don't miss anything from international news
Don't miss anything from international newssubscribe
google-play-badge_FR