MEXICO: Alleged thieves spark massive fuel leak in Guadalajara, forcing authorities to evacuate thousands of residents after a large column of gasoline shoots out from the pipeline

Record ID: 306505

  • Title: MEXICO: Alleged thieves spark massive fuel leak in Guadalajara, forcing authorities to evacuate thousands of residents after a large column of gasoline shoots out from the pipeline
  • Date: 31st October 2013
  • Summary: GUADALAJARA, JALISCO, MEXICO (OCTOBER 30, 2013) (REUTERS) VIEW OF GAS LEAK POLICE NEAR SITE OF LEAK MORE OF GAS LEAK VARIOUS OF LOCALS LOCALS ON BACK OF PICK UP TRUCK VEHICLES NEAR SITE OF LEAK RESIDENTS SITTING ON FOOTPATH FIREFIGHTERS NEAR GAS LEAK FIREFIGHTER MORE OF GAS LEAK AUTHORITIES AT SCENE VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS WAITING FOR EVACUATION MORE OF GAS LEAK PEOPLE ON BACK OF VEHICLE WAITING TO BE EVACUATED PEOPLE BOARDING BUS FOR EVACUATION JALISCO STATE INTERIOR MINISTER ARTURO ZAMORA AND OFFICIALS NEAR SITE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JALISCO STATE INTERIOR MINISTER ARTURO ZAMORA, SAYING: "The situation at the moment, they have (firefighters) managed to control the leak. The situation now is that they're sealing it, Mexican Petroleum is here, there are pipes to extract the gasoline that was segmented at a specific point and now what is happening is remediation work. There are personnel from the Attorney General who are carrying out expert work and will raise a report for the investigation and establish (those) responsible." PEOPLE OUT ON STREET MORE OF LOCALS BOARDING EVACUATION VEHICLES
  • Embargoed: 15th November 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Crime,Business,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVADCJZMPUKO6STW3ZGIZAQXUTQU
  • Story Text: Thousands of people were evacuated in western Mexico on Wednesday (October 30) morning after thieves tapping a pipeline run by state oil monopoly Pemex caused a major gasoline leak, officials reported.
    Television footage showed a large column of gasoline shooting skywards near the town of Tlajomulco south of the state capital Guadalajara, Mexico's second biggest city.
    Local authorities ordered the evacuation of 7,500 people after the plumes of gas reached high into the air.
    Arturo Zamora, Jalisco's state interior minister, told media the leak was under control and that an investigation into the incident will be called.
    "The situation at the moment, they have (firefighters) managed to control the leak. The situation now is that they're sealing it, Mexican Petroleum is here, there are pipes to extract the gasoline that was segmented at a specific point and now what is happening is remediation work. There are personnel from the Attorney General who are carrying out expert work and will raise a report for the investigation and establish (those) responsible," he said.
    With many residents cleared from the affected areas, authorities in the state of Jalisco reported no casualties from the incident.
    Pemex, whose pipelines are frequently the target of attacks by thieves, said it shut down the flow of gasoline as soon as the leak was detected.
    Mexico's Energy Ministry reported this month that Pemex has reported fuel thefts worth some $4.7 billion over the past five years.
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