A sudden flame inside a naval kitchen area at Mexico City’s main airport left several Semar personnel injured Wednesday, raising a narrow but serious safety question inside one of the country’s most-watched transport hubs. Authorities say the incident was quickly controlled and did not put passengers or nearby facilities at risk. What remains unclear is what caused the gas accumulation, how many personnel were hurt, and what the technical review will find.
Naval personnel injured after gas flash at AICM
Several naval personnel were injured Wednesday after a sudden flame was reported inside facilities used by the Unidad Naval de Protección Aeroportuaria at Mexico City International Airport, according to Mexico’s Navy.
The Secretaría de Marina, known as Semar, said the incident happened in a kitchen area and was apparently caused by a gas accumulation. The situation was controlled immediately by personnel at the site, according to reports citing the agency’s statement.
Semar said the injured personnel received immediate medical attention and were taken to a hospital for evaluation. The agency said none of them was reported in critical condition.
Authorities also said there was no major fire and no risk to the public or nearby airport facilities.
What officials have not yet explained
Semar has described a “flama repentina,” or sudden flame, linked to a presumed gas buildup. It has not publicly released the number of injured personnel, the type of gas involved, or whether the kitchen area had recent maintenance issues.
The agency said it would carry out technical reviews to determine the cause of the incident. Until that review is finished, the central safety question is not whether the flame was controlled. It is why gas was allowed to accumulate inside an airport security facility.
The incident happened as AICM is already under pressure from heavy use, renovation work, and World Cup planning. The airport received approval to increase operations from 44 to 46 per hour, subject to conditions tied to infrastructure and capacity reviews.
AICM has also been racing to complete World Cup-related work before the June travel rush. That makes even a contained safety incident more sensitive for airport users, airlines, and federal officials responsible for the terminal’s operation.
No reported risk to passengers
There was no reported evacuation of passenger areas in the available official accounts. Semar’s statement, as reported by Mexican outlets, focused on the injured naval personnel and the condition of the facility where the flame occurred.
Authorities say the incident was controlled and did not create a wider danger. The unresolved part is internal: the cause, the condition of the kitchen area, and whether the review results in maintenance or safety changes within the naval unit.
