MEXICO – Fire at Asphalt Plant in Mexico Injures Two Workers
A major fire at an asphalt production facility in northern Veracruz, Mexico, left two workers injured and caused damage to machinery and equipment. Emergency services used approximately 140,000 litres of water to extinguish the blaze.
The incident occurred at around 4:00 pm on Wednesday, 11 November, at a Hoval-operated asphalt plant in El Raudal, within the municipality of Nautla. Initial reports indicated that a suspected explosion involving machinery used in road construction operations had triggered the fire.
The scale of the emergency prompted a coordinated response from Civil Protection teams across the region, with personnel from Nautla, Vega de Alatorre and Martínez de la Torre attending alongside volunteer firefighters from Vega de Alatorre and employees of the company.
Two workers injured during incident
Authorities confirmed that two workers sustained injuries in the incident. One suffered burns to a hand, while the other experienced smoke inhalation.
Both received pre-hospital medical assistance from emergency responders at the scene. Their identities, ages and subsequent medical conditions have not been publicly disclosed.
Firefighting operations lasted almost two hours, with crews working to contain the flames, extinguish the fire and cool the affected storage tanks. These measures were intended to prevent the blaze from reigniting or spreading to other areas of the industrial facility.
Multi-agency response brings fire under control
In a statement released on Wednesday evening, the Vega de Alatorre municipal government, led by Felipe Mata Barradas, highlighted the coordination and response capabilities of the emergency teams. It confirmed that approximately 140,000 litres of water had been deployed and that the fire had been completely extinguished.
The Nautla municipal government, headed by Mayor Felipe Capitaine Rivera, also confirmed its involvement, reporting that Municipal Civil Protection personnel had provided immediate assistance and participated directly in the emergency response.
The combined efforts of the responding agencies and Hoval employees were focused on bringing the situation under control, protecting personnel and preventing the fire from spreading further across the site.
Cause of explosion and extent of damage remain unknown
Despite the successful firefighting operation, several questions remain unanswered. As of Thursday, no technical report had been released establishing the precise cause of the suspected explosion.
The full extent of the material damage has also yet to be assessed. There is currently no official estimate of the financial losses or confirmation of how much machinery, equipment and infrastructure was affected.
Hoval had not issued a public statement addressing the incident, the condition of its workers or the damage sustained by the facility. It also remains unclear whether production activities have been suspended and when operations might resume.
Further information is expected from the State Civil Protection Secretariat or the municipal authorities involved in the response, including details of any technical investigations and assessments of the facility’s safety conditions.
The plant is located in El Raudal, a town in the coastal municipality of Nautla, in northern Veracruz, with regional connections to neighbouring municipalities including San Rafael, Vega de Alatorre and Martínez de la Torre.
Investigations are expected to establish what triggered the explosion and determine the extent of the damage, with further updates anticipated from the company and the relevant authorities.
Photo credit: La Nigua. All rights reserved.