BASF Faces Prolonged Shut-Down After Chemical Site Explosion
- Two employees died in blast on Monday, one still missing
- Steam crackers, plants may be down for months, analysts say
Smoke rises from the BASF chemical plant on Oct. 17.
Photographer: Ulli Ziegenfuss/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
BASF SE faces a prolonged shut-down of production units at a chemical site in Germany, the largest of its kind in Europe, where a deadly explosion and fire killed two employees and injured dozens.
The German manufacturer said two steam crackers at the installation remain halted and another 20 facilities are either stopped or only partially working, according to a statement Tuesday. Crackers are the starting point for producing basic chemicals that go into everything from insulation materials to solvents.