Overview
- The accident at Planta USP 2 in Rincón del Mangrullo killed Jonathan David Meliqueo and Cristian Latorre, which occurred Tuesday, August 25, and left one worker dead at the scene and the other later dying after evacuation.
- Firefighters' peritos found a cracked and broken 12-inch pipe on the East manifold and evidence of element displacement consistent with an expansive wave from a sudden release of pressure.
- Investigators say the signs point to a mechanical explosion caused by overpressure and explicitly rule out a chemical explosion because no combustion marks were found on nearby structures or objects.
- Autopsies by the forensic medical body confirmed both workers died from blunt trauma consistent with the violent decompression and detachment of parts, and the Ministerio Público Fiscal continues its probe.
- Fiscal Eugenia Titanti has led on-site inspections and formally requested operation logs, maintenance records and safety protocols from the plant operator (YPF with Pampa Energía), a review that could lead to regulatory scrutiny or legal liability.