Mexican Pipeline Blast



Pemex oil pipeline blast, 12/19/10
(San Martin Texmelucan, Puebla, Mexico) Yesterday, a 30-inch Pemex oil pipeline sprung a leak about 50 miles east of Mexico City, ostensibly the work of a criminal gang.

An explosion followed along with the deaths of at least 27 people. Over 50 people were injured and at least 115 homes were damaged.

The explosion, which occurred yesterday at 5:50 a.m. local time, caused crude to flow into a nearby river and a giant cloud of smoke to erupt into the sky, the Milenio television network reported.

Valentin Meneses, Puebla state’s interior secretary, said in an interview on the Milenio TV network that 32 of the houses were completely destroyed.

“All of this is the consequence of a criminal gang,” Meneses said. “They lost control because of the great force of the fuel that came out. Many streets started to flood with fuel. There was a spark and there were rivers of fire.”

An investigation is in progress.