Explosion at BASF chemical plant kills at least two

At least two people have been killed and six severely injured in an Oct. 17 explosion and fire at chemicals maker BASF’s biggest production site in Germany.

In addition to the two dead, two people are still missing, BASF said.

In a statement, BASF said that the explosion occurred on a supply line connecting a harbor and a tank depot on the site in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

“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 the statement.

BASF also said it was unclear so far what caused the explosion, which shut down 14 facilities, including two steam crackers.

The Ludwigshafen site, located approximately 80 kilometers south of Frankfurt, is the world’s largest chemical complex, BASF said, covering an area of 10 square kilometers and employing 39,000 workers.