This afternoon, a chemical plant worker has died in the specialist burns unit at Barcelona's Vall d'Hebron hospital. The man was one of those caught up in the explosion at the Iqoxe plant near Tarragona in the south of Catalonia yesterday. Of the others injured, one remains in a very serious condition, one in a less serious condition and the remaining five escaped with minor injuries.

Third death

This brings to three the total number of fatalities linked to the incident. This morning, Catalan firefighters found the body of a man declared missing yesterday evening, having had to suspend the search overnight for safety reasons. He was reportedly found in an area of office buildings that had collapsed. Emergency services said that specialist psychologists and police officers were with his relatives.

The first fatality was reported yesterday evening in a residential building in the Torreforta suburb of Tarragona, some three kilometres (two miles) from the explosion. The force of the blast apparently propelled a 1000 kg metal plate over the distance until it crashed in through a third-floor window. The floor gave way, crushing a man in the flat below.

The damage caused by the flying plate / Photo: EFE

El Caso has learnt the victim was Sergio Millán, 55 years old, a lifelong resident of the neighbourhood. Married, with children and grandchildren, he was well-known in the area having previously run a fruit shop that closed a few years ago.

The damage

During the day this Wednesday, images have emerged of the damage inside the plant, but also of the debris from the explosion that was sent flying further away. The emergency services recommend that anyone finding anything that could be linked to the plant, although it is highly unlikely to be dangerous, should nonetheless refrain from touching it and call them on 112.

A Catalan police officer examines the metal plate that hit the building in Torreforta / Photo: Mossos d'Esquadra

An object, assumed to be debris from the explosion, found in a field

The emergency services have also released images filmed by drone of the state of the plant as the firefighters finish their work inside. They remind the public that the area is controlled airspace due to nearby Reus airport and that the flying of recreational drones is restricted.