Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency:  Newsflash

One worker has died and three have been injured in an explosion at a chemical factory in Austria.

The incident took place at the Krems Chemie Chemical Services AG enterprise in Krems shortly after 1.30pm yesterday (Thursday, 5th May).

The explosion happened in a building while demolition work was taking place.

Two workers from an external company were cutting out a tank in the building at the time of the blast.

A fire safety guard was also on duty on the premises at the time of the incident.

The company stated: “The rescue chain was set in motion immediately, and the cooperation between the company fire brigade and the rescue services worked perfectly.”

Up to 60 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, as well as an emergency physician from the Red Cross and four ambulances.

One worker, who was pulled from the rubble, was found to have suffered serious injuries and had to be taken to hospital by air ambulance.

Two others, including a firefighter, suffered minor injuries.

Tragically, the second worker was later found dead.

District fire commander Martin Boyer said: “Half the building was torn down.”

The explosion was reportedly widely noticed in Krems and shards of glass and brick parts were spread across the area.

The building in which the blast occurred now lies in ruins.

Thankfully, the situation was swiftly brought under control and no chemicals were released into the atmosphere.

It is not yet known what caused the explosion, but the investigation will start “immediately”, said the company.

Specialists from the Lower Austria State Criminal Police Office were already at the scene of the blast yesterday afternoon.