14 dead, 80 injured in Mexico oil company blast

[nadinbrzezinski]

An explosion at the main headquarters of Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, also damaged three floors of the building, sending hundreds into the streets and a large plume of smoke over the skyline.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57567024/explosion-rocks-pemex-oil-offices-in-mexico-city/

For the record, Mexican media is reporting the cause. Apparently a gas concentration at the electrical substation that serves the B2 tower. This complex, two towers, is not near anywhere where tourists should be, but one of the burn centers is.

Ok, for the irony moment of the day...

Shortly before the explosion, Operations Director Carlos Murrieta reported via Twitter that the company had reduced its accident rate in recent years. Most Pemex accidents have occurred at pipeline and refinery installations.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/explosion-pemex-headquarters-workers-injured

Live blogging via Excelsior (Spanish)

http://www.excelsior.com.mx/2013/01/31/comunidad/882102

[malaise]

1. The numbers are sure rising fast n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. And the American press is way behind

Been reading both.

[a la izquierda]

2. Jesus.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Peña Nieto ordered a full investigation

Per his twitter account.

[w8liftinglady]

5. This company has had multiple refinery explosions

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-07/mexico-s-pemex-confirms-refinery-explosion-at-cadereyta-near-monterrey.html


Pemex gave the contract for refinery tech to Bechtel
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/pemex-chooses-bechtel-for-refinery-technology-2012-09-14

Yeah, THIS Bechtel

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=6532

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. They are not recent

I remember San Juanico clearly...I was one of the EMS responders, two weeks out of EMS school.

That was 1984

[w8liftinglady]

7. From What I understand, Pemex has multiple refineries,

and they've had multiple issues over the last two decades.

My friends's cousin was killed in Reynosa
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2012/09/19/263451.htm

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-19/pemex-pipeline-explosion-in-mexico-s-puebla-state-kills-22-minister-says.html

http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/09/10/sabotage-blamed-for-pemex-pipeline-explosions-in-mexico/

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. The network spans the whole country.

One of the problems they also have are people tapping into the lines to steal a little gas. The other problem has been shoddy maintainance.

As I wrote, this is not the say two decades...it is a decades long issue. PEMEX is known for some lovely corruption. Oh and now that Peña Nieto wants to partially privatize it, I expect the problems to increase.

I am sorry for your loss by the way.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Update, the Secretariat of Government (SEGOB) confirms

14 dead, 100 injured and 30 trapped in the rubble.
http://www.excelsior.com.mx/2013/01/31/comunidad/882092

Sorry for that, Secretaría de Gobernación

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Second update, SEGOB withdraws early report

Of 30 people trapped. They are blaming "confussion on site for the error."

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. I do love VIPs...really.

“En estos momentos, me dirijo a supervisar que los heridos estén recibiendo la atención necesaria”, señaló Peña en su cuenta de Twitter


"At this moment, I am on my way to supervise that the wounded are getting the necessary attention" Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico.

Now if he was a doctor, but he's not.

I suspect this could very well be a looooonnnngggg six years for Mexico.