Frankfurt, Germany: An explosion and subsequent fire Monday at the main plant of German chemical giant BASF left 14 workers slightly injured, the company said.

The explosion happened around midday in the southern part of the massive Ludwigshafen plant, BASF said, and set off a fire that has since been extinguished.

"Fourteen employees were slightly injured in the incident," BASF said in a statement. They were receiving precautionary care on site, it added.

Images earlier in the day showed a cloud of smoke emanating from the Ludwigshafen plant, the largest chemicals complex in the world.

Residents were initially told to keep doors and windows shut, but authorities in the western city later gave the all-clear.

Environmental monitoring vehicles have detected "slightly elevated levels of hydrocarbons" in the immediate area, BASF said, adding that there was no reason for alarm.

"There was no danger to the public at any time," BASF said.

The cause of the explosion is still being investigated.

In 2016, the Ludwigshafen site was rocked by an explosion followed by a blaze that left five people dead.

Some 39,000 people work at the site.

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