Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Villagrán Fire Contained After Suspected Fuel-Theft Explosion

Officials are investigating a suspected clandestine fuel operation linked to the blast near the COMUDE gym.

Overview

  • The blast erupted around 8:15 p.m. Thursday in Colonia Satélite, with flames reported at roughly 40 meters and visible from kilometers away.
  • By early Friday, emergency crews had the fire contained but continued cooling and inspection work, limiting access to the immediate site.
  • Authorities evacuated nearby residents and opened the municipal COMUDE gym as a temporary shelter while federal and local forces secured the area.
  • Officials reported no confirmed fatalities; the Red Cross said several people were taken to a hospital for anxiety crises, including a pregnant woman.
  • Preliminary accounts indicate a bodega used for illicit fuel storage and a tanker possibly being filled from a clandestine tap, and the mayor noted the property had been guarded by the National Guard over the past year.