In Leverkusen, Germany, work continues to eliminate the consequences of an explosion at the Chempark chemical test site. They are attended by 360 employees of emergency services. The death toll from the accident rose to two. The number of injured is 31, one of them is in critical condition. The fate of five more people is still unknown.
“There is no more hope of finding them alive. We want to express our condolences to family and friends. We think about their families and loved ones, "said the head of Currenta, the operator of the chemical park, Frank Hildmar during a press conference on Wednesday.
The Cologne Criminal Police, together with an expert and Currenta employees, will begin an investigation into the causes of what happened on Thursday.
“It will take some time before the picture becomes clear,” said Leverkusen's fire chief Herman Greven.
A powerful explosion, which, according to eyewitnesses, was heard within a radius of several kilometers, occurred at 9.40 am local time. The blow was so strong that it was recorded even by the stations of the Geological Survey of North Rhine-Westphalia 40 km from the epicenter.
As a result of a fire, a tank with solvents burned for several hours. The second explosion - a tank with 100 thousand liters of flammable toxic waste was located nearby - was avoided.
To date, the toxic cloud of smoke has moved 40 km northeast of the city. Its composition is yet to be determined.
