By Mauricio Torres, CNN
Firefighters extinguish the flames of a gas truck that exploded in Mexico City. Photo: Valentina Alpide/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource
A gas truck exploded in Mexico City's Iztapalapa borough, injuring 57 people on Wednesday, Mayor Clara Brugada said at a press conference at the scene.
All the injured were taken to hospitals, 19 of them in serious condition, said Brugada, accompanied by the Secretaries of Citizen Security, Pablo Vázquez, and of Comprehensive Risk Management and Civil Protection, Myriam Urzúa.
Images shared on social media showed flames shooting high into the air as people screamed and ran from the scene.
Another video showed large plumes of smoke billowing from the truck as emergency workers tried to extinguish the fire.
According to authorities, the explosion occurred after the vehicle carrying 49,500 liters of gas - known in Mexico as "pipas" - overturned by a highway in the Puente de la Concordia area.
Brugada said the explosion generated a "shock wave" that affected 18 nearby vehicles, and that the cause of the crash and the driver's condition are being investigated.
The fire has been extinguished, Brugada said, but cooling efforts were continuing.
- CNN
