Deadly Blast In Central Mexico Caused By Pipeline Rupture By Fuel Thieves - Pemex

MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2019) The deadly explosion at Mexico's major Tuxpan-Tula pipeline in the central Hidalgo state has been caused by the pipeline rupture by suspected fuel thieves, the Pemex energy company said.

The blast hit the pipeline on Friday as around 350 people were purportedly trying to leak fuel from it. The state's governor, Omar Fayad, has said that at least 20 people were killed and 71 others injured in the incident.

"The explosion in Hidalgo has been caused by the illegal rupture for stealing fuel from the Tuxpan-Tula pipeline," the company said in a statement.

Pemex added that the Mexican authorities had evacuated the residents of the neighborhood where the explosion occurred.

"The territory has been closed off. The state and municipal authorities, as well as the military, are providing assistance and the damage is now being assessed," the statement noted.

There are currently 11 ambulance cars working on the site of the incident. Those injured are expected to be taken to hospitals in the nearby city of Tula and Mexico City. The capital's Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said the authorities have dispatched four medical helicopters to the site.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has pledged to provide assistance to those affected by the incident and expressed his regret over the situation.

Meanwhile, local media reported that another pipeline exploded in the state of Queretaro. However, there have been no reports on casualties as a result of the incident.

The explosions occurred amid a fuel crisis in the country sparked by the government's campaign to curb fuel theft.