At least twelve individuals lost their lives on Wednesday due to an explosion at a steel plant in central Mexico, according to local government officials.
“Twelve workers have died, and another individual has been injured and is currently hospitalized,” stated Juvencio Nieto, the head of civil protection for Tlaxcala, during an interview with the local television network Televisa.
The explosion occurred late at night, around 3:00 AM local time (9:00 AM GMT), within a tower at the Aceros Simec steel complex, located in an industrial park in Tlaxcala, the smallest of Mexico’s 32 states, including the capital, Mexico City.
“The steel came into contact with water, which triggered the explosion; however, a thorough investigation will be necessary to determine the exact cause,” Nieto explained.
Rescue teams and local prosecutors are on-site tending to the victims and beginning an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the accident. The governor of Tlaxcala, Lorena Cuellar, expressed her condolences regarding the incident and announced that she is “coordinating logistical efforts on the ground.”
