According to Mayor Clara Brugada, the explosion under an overpass on the highway connecting to the state of Puebla, which burned 18 vehicles and left 19 seriously injured, was described as an “emergency.” She added that no deaths have yet been reported.
Images released by authorities and social media users showed that around 2:00 p.m., a cloud of gas suddenly covered the area, and in an instant, a huge flame more than 30 meters high turned the area into an inferno.
Amid the chaos, according to videos on social media, dozens of people are running for their lives, screaming and fleeing the explosion. Other images show men with their bodies apparently burned, while emergency vehicles are trying to arrive at full speed.
Pending investigation, it is believed that the explosion originated from the unit carrying thousands of liters of fuel, which, after exploding, also damaged several vehicles.
For his part, the Secretary of Citizen Security, Pablo Vázquez Camacho, reported that in coordination with the Mexican Red Cross and authorities from various mayors’ offices and municipalities, victims were transported to various hospitals in the area.
“We will continue with road closures, securing the area for the safety of the entire population in the vicinity, and also to preserve the scene while the Prosecutor’s Office completes the expert reports and investigation to precisely determine the cause of this accident,” he stated.
Other tragic explosions in Mexico
In addition to this serious incident, Mexico has a history of explosions that have left their mark on society.
In the modern era, in January 2015, an explosion occurred at the Cuajimalpa Maternity Hospital, caused by a gas leak from a truck supplying the hospital.
The explosion caused severe damage to the building and surrounding areas, including a daycare center and the delivery area.
However, the most serious tragedy occurred in November 1984, in San Juan Ixhuatepec, better known as San Juanico, when a storage and distribution plant belonging to Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) caught fire, leaving at least 500 people dead and nearly 2,000 injured.
Source: laopinion
