A day after a gas tanker exploded at the Concordia Bridge on the city’s east side, authorities confirmed eight people have died. Ninety-four were injured. Sixty-seven remain in hospitals across the capital. The numbers shifted through the night as doctors stabilized patients and families moved between facilities seeking news. Officials promised help for travel, lodging, and funeral costs, and said updates will come in regular briefings. The questions now fall to investigators: how the rollover happened, what failed, and who bears responsibility.
Iztapalapa tanker blast
The blast followed the rollover of a liquefied petroleum gas tanker near Calzada Ignacio Zaragoza on Wednesday afternoon. Witnesses described a sudden fireball, a shock wave, and vehicles left burning in the road. Firefighters contained the blaze and cooled the tank before crews hauled away the wreckage late at night. The driver survived with critical injuries.
City leaders updated figures Thursday, raising the death toll to eight and confirming 94 injured. Of those hurt, 22 are in critical condition and six are listed as serious. Nineteen patients have been discharged.
What officials are investigating
Prosecutors said excess speed is the leading hypothesis. The rollover likely allowed gas to escape, feeding the fire that followed. The driver remains under medical guard while his legal status is reviewed. Investigators are mapping the tanker’s route, checking logs, and collecting roadside video. They also seized burned vehicles for inspection and for eventual damage assessments.
Patients are spread across roughly 19 hospitals, including Balbuena, Belisario Domínguez, Rubén Leñero, and ISSSTE Zaragoza. Burn teams and trauma units remain on alert. Officials highlighted immediate cash aid for families to cover transport and essentials. Psychological support and legal assistance are available. The city also set up information lines to help relatives locate patients and confirm transfers.
Safety questions around Tomza and Silza
Regulators identified the tanker’s owner as Transportadora Silza, part of Grupo Tomza. The federal environmental and energy safety agency said it did not have a current insurance policy on file for the unit’s transport permits. The company says it holds valid coverage. Authorities are reviewing policy records, loading documents, and plant permits. Depending on the findings, administrative sanctions and criminal charges are possible.
The explosion halted east-west travel at a key choke point near the State of Mexico line. By night, crews had cleared dozens of damaged vehicles and removed the tanker after venting the remaining gas. The city said it will draft a protocol on where and how hazardous cargo moves through urban corridors. The goal is simple: keep fuel moving, but keep neighborhoods safe.
