An explosion Monday morning at a Schaeffler factory in the Bavarian town of Eltmann, Germany has reportedly resulted in 23 injuries.
Roller bearings maker Schaeffler said an explosion at a salt filtration device in its Eltmann plant injured 23 people, seven of which were brought into hospitals for medical treatment. The other injuries were minor, with those people immediately discharged after outpatient care.
Earlier in the day, the Associated Press and Reuters both cited German police saying 13 employees were injured, with four of them suffering serious wounds and were flown to a hostipal by helicopter.
"We are currently investigating the root cause of the accident and are analyzing the situation," Schaeffler posted on its Facebook page. "Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG Eltmann fully supports the emergency personnel and the following investigation process."
Reuters said that more than 120 firefighters were on the scence, along with police and rescue staff. Schaeffler said there was no heavy smoke development in the aftermath of the explosion and that the local population was never in any danger as no hazardous or toxic substances were released.
"We do not expect any implications for our customers since 90 percent of our production lines are operating again," the company said on Facebook.
Reuters said factory workers were asked to briefly vacate their positions, but had returned to work by the late morning.
Reuters said criminal police in Schweinfurt and prosecutors have begun an investigation.
See Schaeffler's Facebook posts regarding the incident below, in chronological order:
The Schaeffler factory in Eltmann — a town of 5,500 people — is located a little ways south of central Germany, about 54 miles north of Nuremberg.
