Monday September 12th, Guanajuato, Gto.- A strong explosion occured in a facility, where fuel allegedly stolen from several pipelines of Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) was stored, the explosion provoked a major fire in the San Jose community, municipality of Juventino Rosas, Guanajuato.
So far, state Civil Protection authorities have reported no people injured. However, the flames consumed a three-ton truck, which also was carrying illegally extracted gasoline.
According to anonymous witnesses who reside in this rural community, the place is used to store hydrocarbon stolen from Pemex through clandestine taps. The product is sold in the black market.
Municipal authorities estimate that approximately 50,000 liters of fuel were stored in the warehouse located near the Salamanca-Celaya federal highway 45. Although law enforcement officers inspected and cordoned off the area, no arrests were made.
Firefighters took more than three hours to control the fire.
Similar incidents in the state of Guanajuato have put the lives of citizens in danger: for eample, on July 26, 500 people were evacuated in Salamanca due to a propane PEMEX pipeline leakage, also as result of illegal tapping.
Another pipeline exploded on Monday September 5, at “La Luz” neighborhood in Salamanca, Guanajuato, allegedly due to an illegal pipeline tap. Organized crime groups dedicated to extract oil make large amounts of money selling it in the black market.
Source: http://www.sdpnoticias.com/