1 Killed, 4 Missing in German Chemical Blast; 31 Injured

1 Killed, 4 Missing in German Chemical Blast; 31 Injured
Emergency vehicles of the fire brigade, rescue services, and police stand not far from an access road to the Chempark over which a dark cloud of smoke is rising in Leverkusen, Germany, on July 27, 2021. Oliver Berg/dpa via AP
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BERLIN—An explosion at an industrial park for chemical companies in Germany killed at least one person Tuesday, with 31 others injured and four missing. Fire officials who tested the air said there did not appear to be a danger to nearby residents after authorities initially urged people to shelter inside.

The explosion at the waste management facility of the Chempark site in the city of Leverkusen, near Cologne, sent a large black cloud into the air. It took firefighters almost four hours to extinguish the fire that took hold after the explosion.