Overview

• The tanker, owned by a private firm, exploded around 5:03 p.m. while refueling a stationary tank at a ferretería in Tlaltzala, igniting a blaze that engulfed about a dozen adjacent homes.
• Emergency crews extinguished the fire within hours and no serious injuries or fatalities were reported, although some residents received precautionary medical treatment.
• The operator escaped uninjured despite the complete destruction of the tanker and a nearby car that was also consumed by the flames.
• Local authorities are examining unverified collision claims among other potential triggers as they build a case to hold the gas company financially responsible for all damages.
• The accident highlights persistent safety gaps in rural Veracruz’s LPG distribution and has renewed calls for stricter oversight of tanker operations and infrastructure upgrades.