major explosion near airport leaves more than 15 in hospital and flights cancelled

At least 15 people have been taken to hospital with injuries a huge explosion in an industrial estate outside Buenos Aires.

Hundreds of flights were disrupted at the nearby Ezeiza international airport following the blast.

Footage of the incident showed a huge mushroom cloud filling the sky,amid chaotic scenes on Friday evening.

Adjacent buildings were devastated by the impact,which was also felt up in homes up to four kilometres away.

The blaze ignited at around 9pm local time in a factory producing agrochemical products in the town of Carlos Spegazzini,just outside the Argentine capital.

The incident also occurred just metres from the Cañuelas-Ezeiza motorway.

La Nación reported that at least 20 people had injuries relating to smoke inhalation,with one man admitted to hospital after suffering a heart attack.

The fire was very extensive and had spread to several floors of the building,according to local news sources.

People with injuries were taken for treatment at the Eurnekian hospital and the Monte Grande clinic.

Emergency workers fighting a blaze at an industrial estate outside Buenos Aires (Picture: AFP)

Another pressing concern for responders was the nearby Albanesi power station,a centre generating hydrocarbon energy,which if it had been set alight,would have caused a ‘monumental disaster’,emergency services said.

The station had been secured and was out of danger,it was later confirmed.

Firefighters had still not extinguished the inferno six hours after it had broken out.

Fabian Garcia,the provincial director of the civil defence,said the fire was ‘very complicated’ and that teams were working to stop it spreading in the first instance.

He said: ‘The conditions aren’t bad,but it is a highly charged fire.’

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