At least two people have died after an explosion at a chemical plant in Germany.
A further six people were severely injured in the explosion and fire at BASF’s biggest base in the country.
Two people are still missing.
The tragedy unfolded at 11.20am local time yesterday.
The blast ripped through a supply line connecting a harbor and a tank depot. A fire raged for hours after the explosion, prompting officials to tell local residents to keep their doors and windows shut.
“We deeply regret that employees died and several people were injured. Our sympathy is with the affected people and their families,” the Ludwigshafen site’s chief, Uwe Liebelt, said in a statement.
The Ludwigshafen site, around 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Frankfurt, is the world’s largest chemical complex.
It employees 39,000 people. BASF have since shut-down 14 facilities for safety reasons.