A new fire at the Olmeca Refinery in Dos Bocas, Tabasco, once again raised alarms on April 9, after multiple videos surfaced on social media showing an intense black smoke column rising above the facilities.
The images, captured from boats and various points in the municipality of Paraíso, demonstrate the magnitude of the blaze, which quickly caused concern among the population.
Explosion and fire in the coke area
The fire originated in a coke storage warehouse within the complex. President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo reported that the fire "is exclusively contained in a coke storage area and is under control," after receiving reports from the Pemex director and the refinery manager.
She also assured that "so far, there are no reported injured people" and detailed that around 150 Pemex elements are participating in the response efforts, with the support of the Navy, National Guard, and state authorities.
In line with this, Pemex confirmed that the fire is under control and that all emergency services have been activated. "The Pemex director and the Olmeca Refinery manager have informed me that the fire is exclusively contained in a coke storage area and is under control. So far, there are no reported injured people. 150 elements are participating in…" — Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein), April 10, 2026.
The videos show flames visible from the coast and a dense black smoke column rising several meters, perceptible from different points in Paraíso, which contrasted with official messages seeking to convey that the situation is under control.
Recent incidents maintain pressure
This new incident occurs amid a streak of incidents at the Olmeca Refinery. On March 17, a fire in the vicinity left five people dead, becoming one of the most serious events at the complex. The recurrence of these events has kept the operation of Dos Bocas under scrutiny. Subsequently, hydrocarbon spills were reported in nearby areas, activating environmental operations. More recently, on April 7, reports circulated about a suspected gas leak, which Pemex attributed to vapor release with no risk.
