Bomb Goes Off at W. German Chemical Firm

WEST BERLIN — A bomb went off at a chemical firm in Cologne today, causing some damage, but an explosion that demolished a U.S. soldier’s car in West Berlin was probably caused by a technical defect and not a bomb as first believed.

U.S. Army spokesman Steven F. Stromvall said West Berlin police reported their investigation indicated that a technical problem with the automobile caused an explosion that slightly injured a soldier as he started the car.

Sgt. 1st Class Raoul Rodriguez suffered superficial wounds when his 1977 Toyota blew up at 4:30 a.m. on a West Berlin street when he turned the ignition key. Rodriguez was hospitalized in good condition.

6,000-Soldier Garrison

The car was parked outside a group of apartment houses in which families of the American garrison live. The garrison has 6,000 soldiers.

In Cologne, a police spokesman said unknown attackers left a small bomb close to an outer wall at the offices of a French subsidiary of the huge, Frankfurt-based pharmaceutical and chemical firm of Hoechst.

The spokesman said that the blast damaged two offices in the building and that damage was estimated at $17,000. “We cannot rule out a terrorist background to this attack,” the spokesman said.

Police said another explosive device was defused safely in Koblenz, at the offices of a government defense contractor.