Explosion shuts BASF aroma chemical plant

BASF shut an aroma ingredient and vitamin precursor plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany, on July 29, following an explosion and a fire at the facility. The company has blamed the incident on an organic solvent leak. BASF’s fire department extinguished the blaze. Some 15 BASF employees suffered minor injuries. All were discharged from BASF’s medical center on the day of the incident. There was no contamination of air, water, or soil, the company says.