Two workers die at the Salamanca Refinery

Two dead workers and more injured were the result of a hydrogen sulfide gas leak in one of the process plants of the Ingeniero Antonio M. Amor Refinery (RIAMA), last Friday afternoon. To date, no investigation has been made. Official information was issued by Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), however, it emerged that the victims of the incident worked in the Palería and Soldadura workshops.

According to the unofficial version, provided by colleagues of the deceased, it was reported that, at U12, they were working in a boiler, from where they found five injured workers due to the sulfuric gas leak. They were immediately transferred to the Regional Hospital . However, two of them died while receiving medical attention, they were then identified as Armando Mena and Israel Villaverde.

Regarding this incident, Pemex workers explained that the Refinery generates its own energy through turbo generators, one of which was repaired and updated in its operating conditions. Tests were being carried out with the equipment. To put it into operation, however, there was an incident that put the generation systems out of operation, so energy production stopped, in addition to losing the connection with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), which caused multiple failures in the process plants, including the catalytic plant which produces gasoline, which led to the emission of a yellow cloud into the environment of Salamanca, presumed to be a catalyst used in the refining process.

This incident was seen from different points of the city, which alerted citizens. However, no variations were recorded in the atmospheric measurements at the monitoring stations located in the central and southern area of ​​Salamanca.

This ostensible yellow emission from the chimneys of the Refinery was observed for approximately two minutes; the atmospheric conditions allowed it to dissipate.

News story from El Sol de Salamanca
Image source: El Sol de Salamanca