12 Dead After Fertilizer Plant Explosion in Egypt

12 or more people are dead after an explosion in a gas tank rocked a a fertilizer plant in Ain Sokhna, Egypt on Thursday, international and local news organizations reported. 

Officials told news wire service Reuters that the tank blew up at an Egyptian military-owned phosphates production facility. Workers were performing tests on the tank when the incident occurred, according to the BBC.  

Chemical industry news website ICIS speculated that the site of the explosion was a El Nasr Company for Intermediate Chemicals (NCIC) phosphates and compound fertilizer facility that is slated to become operational later this year. 

While no official tally on the fatalities is available, many local and international media outlets reported that more than 12 people perished during the incident. Egyptian state news agency MENA said that 15 people in total were killed or injured. 

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