An explosion that caused a fire at a tannery factory on the Patacona industrial estate yesterday lunchtime seems to have been caused by welders, according to an emergency services spokesman.

One man was killed and six others were injured, two of whom seriously. The two most seriously injured men (aged 58 and 49) were taken to La Fe Hospital while three other men (two aged 57 and one aged 51) were admitted to the Clinical Hospital, also in Valencia. A sixth employee was treated for shock at the scene.

The tannery factory which is close to an expanding residential area bordering Patacona beach, has been the subject of a number of complaints from local residents' associations for the bad smells, pollution and nocturnal noise produced by the plant which employs 25 workers.