1 dead, 4 missing after an explosion at a chemical park in western Germany

• An explosion at a German chemical site has killed at least one person.
• Four people are missing and at least 16 people are injured, including four seriously injured.
• The head of the site said "We are deeply shaken by the tragic death of one colleague."

One person has died and at least four other people are missing after an explosion in at a German chemical park.

The explosion happened at Chempark, an industrial park in the city of Leverkusen, western Germany, on Tuesday, Reuters reported. Several chemical companies are housed at the site, Reuters reported.

Lars Friedrich, the head of Chempark, said on Twitter that four people were missing and added: "We are deeply shaken by the tragic death of one colleague," according to Reuters.

Currenta, the operator of Chempark, said the explosion happened at 9:40 a.m. and created a fire at a fuel depot, Reuters reported. The fire has since been extinguished, the agency said.

The city said sixteen people were rescued, including four seriously injured people, according to Reuters.