Two Dead Following Fire at Mexico’s Largest Pemex Oil Refinery

Two workers lost their lives, and another was injured after a fire erupted over the weekend at Mexico’s largest domestic refinery, operated by the state oil company Pemex, a company official announced on Monday.

The fire started on Saturday at the Salina Cruz refinery located in Oaxaca state, according to plant manager Arturo Recio. Recio explained that heavy rain caused oily waste from the drains to spill over onto the walkways inside the facility, as reported by Reuters.

A 21-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man employed by Pemex contractors were killed in the incident, while a third worker was hospitalized, Recio confirmed.

Recio also mentioned that operations at the main distillation unit and a gasoline production facility were temporarily halted to prevent further damage, though other parts of the refinery were unaffected. Cleanup and repair efforts have since begun.

The refinery, which has a crude oil processing capacity of 330,000 barrels per day, is currently operating at around 70% capacity. A source from Pemex stated that the refinery resumed normal operations following the fire.

According to local media, the fire broke out in the refinery’s courtyards, near significant operational units. The blaze was eventually contained by refinery staff and local civil protection authorities.

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