The explosion of a tapped gasoline pipeline in Mexico has killed at least 85 according to new reports. Health Minister Jorge Alcocer said 72 people would still be treated in hospitals. The victims were people who wanted to drain fuel from the damaged pipeline.
The accident happened in the state of Hidalgo on Friday near the small town of Tlahuelilpan, about one hundred kilometers north of Mexico City. About 800 people had rushed to the fuel line with canisters and buckets to illegally fuel themselves. There was an explosion and the pipeline caught fire.
Mexican Security Minister Alfonso Durazo said state oil company Pemex knew about the leak. She had been warned by the military four hours before the explosion. But Pemex thought it was a "minimal" leak.
Benzoin theft is a big problem in Mexico. According to Pemex, every 30 minutes last year, attempts were made to tap into a pipeline. Hidalgo's governor, Omar Fayad, called on the population after the accident not to participate in the gasoline chain. It is life threatening.
Fuel in guarded vices
The government has been campaigning against fuel theft since the end of December and has already closed several lines. The fuel is now transported in guarded tanker trucks. At the petrol stations of the Latin American country, this led to long queues in recent weeks.