Three dead, over 50 injured in Mexico gas tanker truck explosion

Mexico City, Sep 11 (IANS) Three died and over 50 were injured after a gas tanker truck exploded in Mexico City, with 19 of them in serious condition, local authorities said.

The accident occurred on the Zaragoza road under the Concordia bridge, said Clara Brugada Molina, head of government of the Mexican capital, on the social media platform X on Wednesday (Mexico City time).

It took place at around 2:20 p.m. local time when the truck, with a capacity of 49,500 litres, overturned, and the injured have been rushed to different hospitals, she told local media.

The accident also affected 18 vehicles, and 19 of the injured transferred to hospitals are in serious condition, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting an official.

Police have guarded the accident area, and roadblocks have been put up in the vicinity as security measures for residents and also to preserve the scene for the investigation to determine precisely the causes of the accident, according to local authorities.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences over the loss of lives in the accident.

In a post on X, the President posted, "We express our solidarity and support to the families of three people who unfortunately passed away and to the injured, resulting from the explosion of a pipeline in Iztapalapa."

"The National Coordination of Civil Protection, National Guard, Secretariat of Defence, and the network of hospitals of the Government of Mexico are collaborating with the head of Government, Clara Brugada Molina, and the authorities of Mexico City to assist those affected," she said.

"Likewise, I express my recognition to the emergency services that are supporting in this unfortunate incident," the Mexican President added.

--IANS

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