The death toll from Wednesday’s explosion at a Pemex petrochemical plant has jumped to 13, Mexican government officials announced on Thursday.
And the fatality count could get worse with six people still unaccounted for. Of 136 people injured, 13 were in serious condition as of Thursday.
Initial reports had three dead and dozens injured in the blast near the port of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz state on the country’s east coast.
It is believed that a leak at the Petroquimica Mexicana de Vinilo facility (PMV) plant caused the explosion.
It sent huge plumes of dark smoke across the area and a smell of ammonia permeated the air.
Municipalities were evacuated and schools in the vicinity closed.
Pemex said the fire was under control by Wednesday and the toxic fumes were dissipating.
The PMV plant is a joint venture between Pemex and Mexichem.
Pemex has been involved in a catalogue of fatal accidents in recent years.
In September 2012 26 people died in a fire at one of its natural gas facilities in northern Mexico.
In 2013, at least 37 people were killed by a blast at its Mexico City headquarters.
In 2015 a fire at the Abkatun Permanente offshore platform in the Bay of Campeche killed four workers.
