Three seriously injured after oil refinery explosion in Mexico

SALINA CRUZ, Mexico, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- At least three people were seriously injured after an explosion at an oil refinery in Mexico on Tuesday, which led to the evacuation of about 2,000 workers.

The explosion at the alkylation unit occurred at about 10 a.m. at the Antonio Dovalí Jaime refinery, controlled by the government-owned by Petróleos Mexicanos, or PEMEX, in the city of Salina Cruz in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, El Universal reported.

PEMEX said the fire was put under control by the company's own firefighting units, adding that all other parts of the nearly 1,500-acre refinery were working properly. Several schools surrounding the refinery were evacuated.

The Oaxaca State Coordination of Civil Protection warned residents to stay away. The Antonio Dovalí Jaime refinery has the capacity to process 330,000 barrels of crude oil. Some crude oil tanks at the refinery can hold up to 500,000 barrels.

In April, at least four workers died after a fire broke out on the Abkatun Standing oil platform operated by PEMEX. About 300 workers were evacuated from the Petróleos Mexicanos oil platform, located in the Bay of Campeche in the Gulf of Mexico.

Video de la explosión en refinería de Salina Cruz, estos momentos así el panorama pic.twitter.com/GvCKlRyc9s

— Oaxaca Informada (@OaxacaInformada) November 24, 2015