The explosion of a truck that occurred on the night of Thursday, May 1st, on the Puebla-Orizaba highway near Balastrera not only caused the death of the driver and the complete closure of the road in both directions, but also unleashed a wave of robberies in the area.
While emergency services attempted to control the fire—which burned at least four vehicles—dozens of motorists and truck drivers were stranded on the highway. It was in this context of chaos and uncertainty that armed individuals took advantage of the situation to commit armed robberies, affecting heavy-duty drivers and individuals from both the state of Puebla and other states.
Citizen reports spread on social media warned of multiple robberies in the area, generating panic among travelers, who denounced the lack of security while the road closure continued.
The truck driver was burned to death inside the cab, as shown in videos circulating on digital platforms. Firefighters from Córdoba, Orizaba, Río Blanco, and Ciudad Mendoza managed to extinguish the flames several hours after the incident.
The fire also forced the temporary evacuation of families near a gas station in the López Arias and La Raya neighborhoods, who returned to their homes after an hour.
At this time, authorities have not determined the cause of the explosion. Traffic on the highway remains closed, and drivers are advised to take the Pemex detour, connect with the Orizaba–Tehuacán federal highway, and rejoin the highway near La Laguna, in the municipality of Nogales.
Source: diariocambio
