2010 Puebla oil pipeline explosion
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The 2010 Puebla oil pipeline explosion was a large oil pipeline explosion that occurred at 5:50 am CST[1] on December 19, 2010, in the city of San Martín Texmelucan de Labastida, Puebla, Mexico. The pipeline, running from Tabasco to Hidalgo,[1] was owned by the Pemex petroleum company, and exploded after thieves from the Los Zetas drug cartel attempted to siphon off the oil.[2] The gas explosion and resulting oil fire killed 29 people, including 13 children, and injured 52. Some of the flames in the fire became ten metres high, and the smoke towered over the city.[3] The blast also damaged 115 homes, completely destroying 32 of them, and prompted the evacuation of 5,000 residents.[4] Firefighters eventually controlled the blaze, but electricity and water remained cut following the explosions, and the military was deployed to the site.[1] Mexican President Felipe Calderón visited the explosion site on the day of the incident to offer condolences to the victims' families.[3][5] The fire was one of the deadliest in Mexican history, largely destroying an area of five-kilometre radius, and some oil may have polluted the Atoyac River.[6]
