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Mexico: Shock and Speculation after Blast in Pemex Headquarters

Categories: Latin America, Mexico, Breaking News, Citizen Media, Disaster

At least 14 people died and 80 are injured are up until now, the result of a strong blast that shook the state-owned company Mexican Petroleum (Pemex) on Thursday January 31st, 2013 in Mexico City, as it was informed by the company's official Twitter account:

@pemex [1] [es]: Lamentablemente se tienen confirmados al momento 14 personas fallecidas y 80 lesionadas

@pemex: Unfortunately, we have 14 persons confirmed dead and 80 injured

Some netizens, besides regretting the news, speculated on the true cause of the explosion. Like Think Mexican (@ThinkMexican [2]), who pointed out on its Twitter account:

@ThinkMexican [3]: Torre de #Pemex [4] explosion comes days after@EPN [5] responded to speculation his admin. sought to privatize Mexico's oil.http://ow.ly/1RJUGC [6]

Or the journalist and writter Raúl Tortolero (@raultortolero1 [7]), who asked:

@raultortolero1 [8] [es]: ¿Conoceremos con transparencia lo que pasó en #Pemex [4] hoy, o sólo versiones a modo?

@raultortolero1: Will we know with transparency what happened in #Pemex today, or are we only going to hear made up versions?

While other like Ana (@AnaLargaespada [9]) spoke about possible negligence:

@AnaLargaespada [10] [es]: Instalaciones de #Pemex [4] ya habían tenido 2 explosioneshttp://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/899965.html … [11] (ver video). Eso me huele a mal manejo

@AnaLargaespada: #Pemex facilities had already had 2 explosions http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/899965.html … [11] (watch video). This sounds to me like misshandling

And some others think it was the responsibility of the drug lords, like Jorge said (@TwytterMx [12]):

@TwytterMx [13] [es]: Explosion en oficinas principales d #Pemex [4]al igual q la explosion en #reynosa [14] son actos d terrorismo por parte del Narco! #atentado [15]

@TwitterMx: The explosion at #Pemex headquarters same as the blast in #Reynosa are terrorist acts by drug gangs! #atendato (attack)

To which Huff Post Voices columnist Alejando Escalona (@alexoescalona [16]) concluded:

@alexoescalona [17] [es]: Me parece muy bien no especular que lo de Pemex fue atentado, pero tampoco hay que asumir que fue accidente. #PEMEX [18]

@alexoescalona: I think it is good not to speculate if what happened in Pemex was an attack, but we shouldn't either asume it was an accident. #PEMEX

On the other hand, there were tasteless comments that many reacted to, like movie maker and columnist Mariano Bouchot (@marianobouchot [19]), who disapproved the jokes on the subject:

@marianoboucho [20]t [es]: No entiendo ni justifico los chistes que se hacen alrededor de la tragedia. Lo ocurrido hoy en #Pemex [4] no es chiste.

@marianobouchot: I don't understand nor justify the jokes around the tragedy. What happened today in #Pemex is not a jest.

There were also many netizens who spread useful information. Like, Fherb (@LFernando24 [21]) who tweeted:

@LFernandoo24 [22] [es]: Ayuda por favor: Se necesitan donadores de sangre en hospital de Pemex Central Norte Azcapotzalco… #Pemex [4]

@LFernandoo24: Help please: Blood donors needed at Pemex North Central Hospital in Azcapotzalco… #Pemex

And Maru Iniestra (@889Maru [23]) shared a link with a report of the wounded:

@889Maru [24] [es]: Pasen la voz… Reporte preliminar de heridos#Pemex [4]http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/informacion-de-contingencia-de-pemex/ … [25] Más información en @locatel_mx [26]#LocatelInforma [27] 56581111

@889Maru: Spread the word… Preliminary report of the wounded #Pemex http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/informacion-de-contingencia-de-pemex/ … [25] More information in @locatel_mx #LocatelInforma (Locatel Informs) 5658111

While a great number of netizens offer their condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, as the economist and blogger Guillermo Barba (@memobarba [28]):

@memobarba [29] [es]: Es sin duda una gran desgracia la explosión ocurrida en la Torre de #Pemex [4]. Mis condolencias para los familiares d las víctimas

@memobarba: There's no doubt this blast at the #Pemex Tower was a tragedy. My condolences to the victims’ families.

Pemex web page [30] already a black ribbon as a mourning sign.

Vista aérea de la explosión en la Torre de Pemex, en la Ciudad de México. Foto compartida en Twitter por @mexboby

Airview of the explostion at Pemex Tower in Mexico City. Picture shared on Twitter by @mexboby [31]

News are still developing as this post was published.