SEVERAL people have been injured and five are missing after a blast at a German waste plant, according to reports.

Residents in Leverkusen are being told to shut all doors and window as the explosion has caused toxic fumes to spew into the air.

Homes nearly five miles away were shook by the blast while a large black cloud of smoke can be seen as far away as Cologne – 12 miles away.

Hazardous waste and toxic substances are stored and disposed of on the premises of the waste disposal facility where the explosion occurred shortly before 10am.

Locals are being told that there is “extreme danger” in the area from Germany's Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance

The Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis control center has said that the toxic cloud is moving towards other two other cities, Burscheid and Wermelskirchen and that locals in these areas should also stay inside.

Operators of the Chempark site in Leverkusen said the cause of the explosion was unclear and firefighters from all over the region had been called in to help extinguish the fire.

Leverkusen is home to Bayer, one of Germanys biggest chemical companies.

It has about 163,000 residents and borders Cologne, which is Germany's fourth biggest city and has around 1 million inhabitants.

Many residents work at Bayer, which is one of the biggest employers in the region.

The scene of the explosion, the chemical park, is located very close to the banks of the Rhine river.

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