Horrific gas tanker explosion in Mexico City claims 8 lives, injures 90

A tanker carrying much than 13,000 gallons (49,500 liters) of liquified petroleum state connected a large road successful Mexico City crashed and exploded connected Wednesday, sidesplitting 8 radical and injuring astatine slightest 90, galore seriously.

By aboriginal day Thursday, Mayor Clara Brugada had announced that 3 victims had died successful summation to the 5 deaths reported aft the accident, and that 67 remained hospitalized, according to the paper Reforma.

The detonation generated a daze question that damaged 32 adjacent vehicles, including this microbus. (Cuartoscuro.com)

CNN reported that the detonation generated a daze question that damaged 32 adjacent vehicles aft which flames changeable into the aerial and fume billowed implicit the confederate conception of the capital.

Mayor Brugada declared an exigency arsenic archetypal responders sought to snuff retired the flames with hoses and foam, portion paramedics connected country attended to severely injured victims, 21 of whom were reported to beryllium successful captious condition.

Some victims were charred portion others waited for assistance alongside the roadworthy with burns and torn clothing. One pistillate suffered burns connected 98% of her assemblage aft she turned and covered up her 2-year-old granddaughter, protecting her from the flames.

“People whose full bodies appeared to person been burned, immoderate with tattered covering melded onto skin, emerged from the flames,” the AP reported. 

Freinds and relatives hold Thursday extracurricular the IMSS Zona 43 infirmary wherever 12 of the pain victims were taken. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro.com)

Images shared connected societal media showed the infinitesimal of the detonation from respective vantage points and radical screaming arsenic they ran from the country successful the borough of Iztapalapa.

Groups of neighbors ran toward the mishap to assistance propulsion pain victims from the occurrence and get them to safety, according to the Associated Press.

In a societal media post, President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences to families of those who died and thanked exigency teams for their work.

“We explicit our solidarity and enactment to the families of the … radical who unluckily passed distant and to those injured,” she said, adding that the National Civil Protection Agency, the National Guard and the Defense Ministry had been ordered to assistance successful caring for those affected.

The incidental occurred connected a large road linking Mexico City to the metropolis of Puebla to the east. The roadway was reopened by Wednesday evening, authorities said.

Mexico City authorities were carrying retired an probe “to found accountability and guarantee broad attraction for the victims and their families,” the prosecutor’s bureau said successful a statement.

“Forensic experts … are connected country gathering grounds and collaborating with section and national authorities to find the origin of the accident,” it said.

The overturned state tanker had the logo of the vigor concern Silza connected its side, but a institution authoritative initially denied it was their vehicle. 

According to the paper El Universal, Gas Silza belongs to Grupo Tomza, a Mexican concern radical with astir 60 years of acquisition successful marketing, importing, storing and transporting liquefied petroleum state done 101 plants, 5 onshore terminals for imported gas, and 2 maritime terminals.

Late Wednesday, reports emerged that Silza didn’t person updated security paperwork required to transport gas. The Environment Ministry issued a connection saying the company’s exertion had been rejected.

On Thursday, the paper Reforma reported that Silza claimed it had activated 3 security policies to code the consequences of the accident.

With reports from Milenio, Infobae, The Associated Press, CNN, El Universal and Reforma