Alex Trelinski
TWO biodiesel factory workers died in an explosion on Thursday in Spain’s north-east La Rioja region.
The blast happened shortly before 1.00 pm.
The regional government said they did not know what caused the explosion at the plant some 50 kilometres north of Logroño at Calahorra.
The Iniciativas Bionegeticas factory makes biodiesel and glycerine from recycled vegetable oils.
The firm has a staff of up to 22 people who have been accounted for.
A trip by 250 children to the adjoining Tierra Rapaz nature park was abandoned and the youngsters were evacuated on coaches.
Calahorra City Council ordered the surrounding El Recuenco industrial estate to be cleared amidst fears of a further blast and the spread of toxic fumes.
A cordon of over a kilometre has been imposed with concern that the fire caused by the explosion might spread to two warehouses.
They contain methanol and methylate which are both highly explosive products.
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