Inquiry starts into cause of gas tanker explosion in Mexico City as death toll rises to 6

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — An investigation was underway on Thursday into the cause of a crash in Mexico City in which a tanker truck exploded on a major highway, killing at least six people and injuring 90.

The fire engulfed more than two dozen vehicles and left a gruesome scene of badly burned survivors staggering in the street in tattered clothing as first responders rushed to the scene. The injured suffered second- and third-degree burns.

The tragedy on Wednesday drew renewed attention to the thousands of trucks that rumble through Mexico daily carrying liquid propane, which most homes and businesses rely on for cooking and heating water.

Regulators said a preliminary review revealed the truck, which was carrying more than 13,000 gallons (49,500 liters) of gas, did not have up-to-date insurance allowing it to transport its cargo.

Mexico City Civil Protection Secretary Myriam Urzua told local radio Thursday that two more victims had died overnight taking the death toll to six. She said 21 people remained in a critical condition.

Some of those injured suffered burns over 100% of their bodies. Among the injured was a baby and a 2-year-old child.

“This is a horrible accident,” said Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada, who visited the scene. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum, writing on X, expressed her condolences to the families of those who died and thanked the emergency teams for their work.

The crash occurred on the highway in the densely populated Iztapalapa district in the east of Mexico City. As emergency vehicles sped by and medics attended to the injured, groups of neighbors ran helped pull burn victims from the fire and get them to safety.

The burned wreck of the gas tanker carried the logo of the energy business Silza. When The Associated Press called the company, an official who did not want to be identified denied it was their vehicle.

The federal agency charged with regulating industrial safety in the hydrocarbon sector said in a statement that Silza didn’t have updated insurance paperwork required to transport gas.

Silza did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

There have been several incidents involving tankers over the past decade.

In 2020, a double tanker carrying liquid propane flipped on a highway in the western state of Nayarit and killed 13 people when the fire spread to other vehicles.

In 2015, a leak on a smaller propane truck making a delivery at a Mexico City maternity hospital allowed gas to leak into the building and blow most of it up, killing five and injuring dozens.

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AP journalists Fabiola Sánchez and María Verza contributed to this report.