Two explosions occurred this morning in the chemical plants of the German giant BASF. The establishments affected are those of Ludwigshafen and Lampertheim, two towns south of Frankfurt, about twenty kilometers apart.
The most serious incident, in which there are allegedly "wounded and missing" according to the German media, occurred around 11.30 in Ludwigshafen. BASF has asked the local population "to avoid open spaces and to leave the doors and windows of the houses closed".
The explosion occurred in the northern port on the Rhine, where the plant processes gas and oil. After the explosion, a thick cloud of smoke rose and several teams of firefighters arrived on the spot. Some people have experienced breathing problems.
As for the Lampertheim plant, it was a filter that exploded. Four employees were injured and taken to hospitals. All activities in the industrial centers involved have been suspended. The causes of the explosions have not yet been clarified.
