The flooding of the Cazones River and the heavy rainfall recorded in northern Veracruz caused severe damage in the municipalities of Tuxpan, Álamo, and Poza Rica, where thousands of families lost their homes due to flooding.
It was during the early morning of October 10, 2025, when the water began to rise, reaching heights between four and nine meters, forcing residents of the affected areas to seek refuge on the roofs of their homes.
Five days after the incident, as the population continues to count the human and material losses, stories of courage, resilience, and solidarity have emerged, as was the case of engineer Jesús Escamilla.
The identity of “Don Chuy,” a Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) worker, was revealed through social media after a video was released in which he is seen activating the alarm that alerted the residents of Poza Rica minutes before the Cazones River overflowed.
“Don Chuy” activated the Pemex alarm according to protocol
In recent days, hundreds of social media users have shared a video just over 10 seconds long in which “Don Chuy,” dressed in a red Pemex shirt, is seen activating the alarm that sounded in Poza Rica minutes before the water began to rise.
“We’re already activating the alarm, my love,” he can be heard saying.
Some of these posts were accompanied by a description that, according to “Don Chuy” explained to MILENIO, is completely false.
“The exact moment he decided to activate the alarm at 5:00 a.m. (…), even without authorization from his superiors. A hero without a cape who deserves full recognition,” reads some videos.
In response to the spread of this version, the Pemex Firefighting team member explained to this media outlet that he “never sought the spotlight” and that he actually activated the alarm on orders from his superiors.
“There’s a protocol”: ‘Don Chuy’ reacts to the release of the Poza Rica video
Through social media, ‘Don Chuy’ explained that the activation of the alarm in Poza Rica was carried out under a previously established protocol.
“There’s a protocol here, and they were definitely orders from our superiors, in the sense of supporting the community. The alarm was sounded so that we could all be somewhat alert and those of us who lived in compromised areas, like the Morelos neighborhood, could get out.”
Regarding the recognition he has received on social media, he expressed his gratitude for each display of support and comments.
“We are a team, the Fire Department, and we all contributed to making this possible. This wasn’t the work of just one person. I’m not the only one in charge.
“It was an action planned by our administrative departments, by our boss, Engineer José Antonio Hernández del Valle, who skillfully coordinated the entire process of supporting the public in terms of rescues and assistance with vehicles and boats.”
It’s worth noting that, as part of Pemex’s efforts to coordinate efforts in the event of an emergency due to a leak, accident, or spill, meetings have been held with local, state, and federal authorities in different regions of the country.
In risk situations, the company can activate internal and external alert systems, in coordination with Civil Protection authorities.
Source: milenio
