An employee has died and four others are missing after the explosion on Tuesday (July 27) in Leverkusen, western Germany, at a waste treatment site, which also left 16 staff injured, said the managing company.
"We are deeply moved by this tragic accident and the death of an employee," Currenta management said in a statement.
The explosion, which forced police to close several surrounding roads, occurred at 9:40 a.m. (07:40 a.m. GMT), igniting a fuel depot, he said.
The cause of the explosion and the origin of the fire are currently unknown.
The emergency services rescued 16 injured, including four seriously injured, said the municipality of Leverkusen.
The population alerted to "extreme danger"
The sirens sounded and the German civil protection warned the populations, via its telephone application, of an "extreme danger".
Residents close to the site of the disaster were invited to stay at home with doors and windows closed.
Currenta said he was carrying out checks to determine if toxic gas escaped with the explosion.
Thick columns of black smoke were visible above the site.
More than 30 companies operate on the "Chempark" industrial site, including the Covestro, Bayer and Lanxess groups.
With AFP and Reuters
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