MEXICO – Five Dead After Fire Near Major Oil Refinery in Southern Mexico
A fire near a major oil refinery in southern Mexico has left five people dead, including a worker from the state-owned company PEMEX. The incident occurred after heavy rainfall and flooding in the region.
According to PEMEX, the blaze broke out early Tuesday morning at around 6 a.m. near the perimeter of the Olmeca refinery in Paraiso, Tabasco. Intense rain caused oily water to overflow beyond the refinery’s boundary wall, where it collected outside the facility and eventually ignited.
Emergency teams were able to bring the fire under control, and PEMEX stated that the refinery’s storage facilities were not damaged and remain fully operational. The company added that it is providing medical care and support to those injured, although it has not confirmed how many people were hurt or the severity of their conditions.
The Olmeca refinery, also known as Dos Bocas, is one of Mexico’s newest and most significant energy projects, built to strengthen the country’s domestic fuel production.
An investigation is now underway, with PEMEX security personnel working alongside authorities to determine the exact cause of the incident.
Photo credit: The Irish Sun. All rights reserved.