THIS is the terrifying moment a huge fire rips through an oil refinery killing five people in Mexico.
Firefighters spent hours battling the massive blaze after torrential rainfall caused the Olmeca refinery in Tabasco to flood and spill out highly flammable hydrocarbon residue.
A huge fire broke out at an oil refinery in Mexico killing five people
The raging blaze lasted for hoursCredit: X
At around 6am on Tuesday morning the fire first sparked outside before it quickly engulfed part of the depot, state-owned company Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) said.
Five people died in the towering fire with Pemex confirming at least one of the victims was an employee.
No details have emerged of the other four casualties.
Footage captures the roaring flames as staff run for their lives away from the smoking refinery.
Multiple outbreaks can be seen in the video as a thick cloud of smoke rises from the oil facility, located on the coast of the Gulf of , as it is devoured by the inferno amid a downpour.
Due to the early morning, only a handful of people were around or inside the refinery when the flames started to rapidly rise.
It took over two hours for firefighting crews to put out the flames.
No major damage has been reported with the refinery back up and running as normal later in the day.
Investigations into the deadly blaze are ongoing with Pemex saying they believe heavy rains led to an oily water spill outside the refinery.
This resulted in a fire igniting just outside the facility close to the hydrocarbon storing area.
The company said in a statement: “Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) regrets the deaths of five people and is providing care to the injured.
“The company confirms that heavy rains caused oily water to overflow from the Olmeca refinery, leading to a pooling of the liquid and its subsequent ignition outside the facility’s perimeter wall.”
“Personnel from the company’s Strategic Safeguarding area are collaborating with the relevant authorities to determine the causes of the incident,” Pemex added.
The Olmeca refinery opened up in 2024 as part of a major strategic project under ex-president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration.
This facility helps with the national refining system and contributes to crude oil processing.
Obrador touted it as a flagship project during construction.
Staff seen running from the flames
An aerial view of the Olmeca oil refineryCredit: AFP
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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