Versalis plastic plant fire in Mantua, Italy creates massive smoke plume

A large fire broke out at the Versalis plastic processing plant in Mantua, Italy, on the morning of 12 June 2026. Several storage halls containing polymer material ignited, producing a black smoke column that stretched as far as Verona, about 50 km away. The blaze prompted the evacuation of roughly 800 plant workers and the deployment of fire crews from Mantua, Brescia and Bergamo.

No fatalities were reported; one person suffered a minor smoke inhalation. Local authorities, including Mayor Andrea Murari, issued an order for residents to keep windows closed and remain indoors while air‑quality monitoring continued. Road closures were imposed on Via Brennero and nearby routes, and emergency services secured nearby tank wagons that could have escalated the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and the situation is being monitored by police, Carabinieri, ATS and ARPA teams.