At least two firefighters died on Monday in an explosion at BASF's biggest production site in Germany, Reuters reported. Eight people were seriously injured, and 17 others suffered minor injuries in the explosions and resulting fires, and one person is still missing, said BASF executive board member Margret Suckale. The company hasn’t yet assessed the financial implications of the disaster, she said.
The explosion occurred on a supply line connecting a harbor and a tank depot on the Ludwigshafen site. The chemical giant suspended operations of the site’s steam crackers, which are used to convert hydrocarbons into other chemicals, and closed the site's port. The suspension interrupted the supply of its raw materials, prompting the company to wholly or partially close about 20 other plants, it said. Suckale said it would “take time” until the steam crackers resumed operations and gave no specifics.
The fire has been extinguished as of Monday, 9.30 p.m; the company stated in a press release on its site. The injured were treated directly at the site or in local hospitals.
“We are deeply saddened that two employees have died. As firefighters, they were devoted to saving lives. Our deepest sympathy lies with the affected people and their families,” said Suckale.
The harbor at which the explosion occurred is a terminal for combustible fluids such as naphtha and methanol that are necessary for BASF's supply of raw materials.
