UPDATE - 1 employee dies, several missing in explosion at German chemical plant

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT FROM COMPANY; ADDS MORE DETAILS; CHANGES HEADLINE, LEDE; EDITS THROUGHOUT

BERLIN (AA) – At least one person died, 16 injured, and four others were still missing after a huge blast on Tuesday at a chemical industrial park in the western German city of Leverkusen.

The explosion in Chempark, one of the largest industrial parks for chemicals companies in the country, sent massive plumes of dark smoke into the air.

Authorities warned residents of several districts to stay indoors and keep windows shut over fears of poisonous fumes.

Chempark’s operator Currenta said on Twitter that one of its employees died in the explosion and four employees were missing.

“Our 16 employees were injured in the incident. Two of them have serious injuries. The rescue work continues at full speed,” the company said in a statement.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear.