An explosion at a chemical park shook the German city of Leverkusen on Tuesday, sending a large black cloud into the air.
Several people have been injured, according to police in Cologne.
“The situation in Leverkusen-Wiesdof is still confusing at the moment. We are on-site with many police forces and we are clarifying the situation,” they added.
Germany’s Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance classified the explosion as “an extreme threat”, German news agency dpa reported.
The municipality called for people in a statement to keep windows and doors closed and to keep clear of the Buerrig area where the chempark is located.
It added that the cause of the explosion remains unclear.
Several highways have been partially closed.
Operators of the Chempark said on Twitter that firefighters and pollution detection vans had been deployed.
Daily Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger reported that the explosion took place at a garbage incineration plant.
Leverkusen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, is home to Bayer, one of Germany’s biggest chemical companies.
