At least one person has died and another five have been injured following an explosion on a natural gas pipeline near Ixtaczoquitlán in Veracruz State, Mexico, apparently caused by thieves drilling into the pipeline on the morning of Saturday 19 August 2017. No details about the dead person have been released at this time, but the injured have been identified as men aged 20, 25, 36 and 65, plus a pregnant 15-year-old girl, all of whom suffered extensive burns; it is not clear whether any of the known casualties were involved in the theft, or were Innocent victims of the incident.
Burning pipeline in Veracruz State, Mexico, following in explosion on Saturday 19 August 2017. Quadratin Edomex.
The fire has been brought under control by emergency services after the pipeline operators, Pemex, stopped the flow of gas through the pipeline, depriving the fire of fuel. It is likely that the incident was caused by thieves attempting to steal oil, rather than gas, from the pipeline. Thefts of oil from pipelines in Mexico have risen almost ninefold in the last decade, driven by growing economic inequality and rising fuel prices.
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