Americas

Pemex plant blast death toll reaches 32

The death toll in the Pemex petrochemical plant explosion has risen to 32 after the discovery of four more bodies in the wreckage of the Petroquimica Mexicana de Vinilo (PMV) facility.

Last Wednesday’s blast at the Gulf coast installation near Coatzacoalcos in Mexico’s state of Veracruz also caused injuries to more than 130 people.

Pemex, Mexico’s state oil firm, is a joint-venture partner in PMV with Mexichem, the majority owner.

Last Thursday Pemex’s CEO Antonio Gonzalez Anaya said the explosion was caused by a leak at the plant, which makes the industrial chemical vinyl chloride.

But no further explanation as to the cause or nature of the leak has been forthcoming.

Donal Scully

With 28 years experience writing and editing for newspapers in the UK and Hong Kong, Donal is now based in California from where he covers the Americas for Splash as well as ensuring the site is loaded through the Western Hemisphere timezone.
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