(Bloomberg) – Thirteen people died and an additional 13 are in critical condition after an explosion Wednesday at a petrochemical plant at an oil export terminal along Mexico's Gulf Coast.

"We toured the affected area of the complex, unfortunately preliminarily located 13 people dead," Mexican Civil Protection Coordinator Luis Felipe Puente said on Twitter Thursday.

Petroleos Mexicanos, the state-owned oil company, confirmed the death toll in its own post. The company said a fire began around 3 p.m. and was followed by a large explosion. A total of 136 people were injured in the blast and at least 88 people remain hospitalized, according to a statement from Pemex, as the crude producer is known. The company's Chief Executive Officer Jose Antonio Gonzalez Anaya, who flew to the site in Coatzacoalcos Wednesday, said that rebuilding the plant may take a year.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader

  • All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
  • Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
  • Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Catastrophe & Restoration
Commercial Lines
Corporate Risk
E&S/Specialty
Workers' Comp