Mexico hospital gas blast kills seven
Seven people, including three children, were killed when a gas truck exploded and destroyed a large part of a maternity hospital in the west of Mexico City, emergency services say.
Luis Felipe Puente, the head of the country’s civil protection agency, confirmed the seven deaths. Rescue workers were scouring through ruined sections of concrete and twisted metal for survivors.
Dozens of people were evacuated, some with injuries from broken glass. It is thought that about 100 people were inside at the time.
Fausto Lugo, the city’s civil defence director, said 37 people were transported to other hospitals and that. other people were probably still buried in the rubble.
The huge blast destroyed much of the building and sent a huge column of smoke billowing over the western edge of the country’s capital.
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Mexico City’s mayor, Mayo Miguel Angel Mancera said the blast had been caused by a leak in the hose carrying gas from the lorry to the hospital.
Ismael Garcia, 27, who lives close to the hospital, said: “There was a super explosion and everything caught on fire.”
This is not the first fatal gas explosion to happen in Mexico. In February 2013, 37 people were killed in a blast at the headquarters of state oil firm Pemex, caused by a mix of methane gas and solvent vapours.