SIDON, Lebanon: One man was killed and 13 others were injured Sunday in an explosion at a plant used to treat bananas in the southern city of Sidon.

Yehya Sayyad died from his injuries after being transferred to a local hospital.

The explosion resulted from a reaction between chemicals used at the plant, where bananas are ripened before sale, in the city’s wholesale vegetable market. The plant belongs to a merchant called Abdullah Ibrahim al-Hariri.

The casualties were of Lebanese, Syrian and Egyptian nationalities.

Several shops near the warehouse and three cars parked near to the blast scene were also damaged.

Workers were able to pull out four individuals critically wounded in the blast before Civil Defense and security forces arrived at the scene and rescued the others.

Members of the Red Cross transferred the injured to local hospitals, while security forces cordoned off the vegetable market and began an investigation.