At 9:40 on July 27, 2021, the hazardous waste incineration plant of Bayer, the German pharmaceutical and agrochemical giant, exploded in Leverkusen, and a lot of smoke was emitted at the scene. At least one person was killed, 16 people were injured, and 5 people are still missing. Fire officials who tested the air said that after the authorities initially urged people to hide inside, nearby residents appeared to be in no danger.
An explosion occurred at a waste management facility at the Chempark site in Leverkusen, near Cologne, blowing a large black cloud into the air. It took the firefighters nearly four hours to put out the fire after the explosion.
Relevant departments have issued an "extremely dangerous" alert, and the fire department warned citizens to keep doors and windows closed and return indoors as much as possible if they are outdoors. The cause of the explosion is not yet known, and the police and fire departments are acting. Some highways in the Leverkusen area have been completely closed.
Lars Friedrich, the head of Chempark, said at a press conference: "We hope to be able to survive the missing."
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances are stored and processed in waste treatment facilities where the explosion occurred.
The German Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance told locals that there was "extreme danger" in the area.
The Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis control center stated that the poisonous cloud is moving to two other cities, Burscheid and Wermelskirchen, and locals in these areas should stay inside.
It is understood that the explosion occurred at the Leverkusen Chemical Park, which is one of the largest chemical parks in Europe. There are more than 70 companies located in Leverkusen, Dormagen and Krefeld-Udingen. Three park locations. In addition, the explosion did not occur in the core area of the chemical park, but in the landfill and incineration plant area. Leverkusen is located on the outskirts of Cologne, Germany's fourth largest city. It is also home to the German chemical giant Bayer. There are approximately 163,000 residents, most of whom are employed by Bayer.
