Cause of fire at chemical company still unclear
One day after the major fire at a chemical factory in Worms, the cause remains unclear. A police spokesman said that the fire investigators would inspect the scene of the fire on Friday. It was not possible to estimate when the first findings would be available.
The fire broke out on Thursday afternoon. According to the company involved, plastic equipment and pipes had caught fire in a production plant. The fire department was busy extinguishing the fire well into the evening. Over 100 firefighters were on site, according to the fire department. No one was injured and the extent of the damage was initially unclear.
Residents were warned on Thursday to avoid the area and to keep windows and doors closed. In the evening, the fire department gave the all-clear that there was no longer any danger from smoke and fumes. According to the city, the wind had driven the thick, black clouds of smoke mainly along the Rhine towards Rheindürkheim and Ibersheim, but also to the Hessian side. The company affected manufactures Plexiglas, among other things.
The chemical analysis of the debris from the fire is necessary to determine the exact cause of the fires. Despite the efforts of the firefighters, chemicals might have reacted during the incident, leading to unusual fire behavior.
Source: www.dpa.com
