A strong fire was reported on the afternoon of Sunday, April 20, at the Lázaro Cárdenas ranch, in the municipality of Centro, Tabasco, causing alarm among the population due to the intense columns of smoke visible from several kilometers away.
According to preliminary reports, the fire originated from a grass burn that got out of control, reaching the facilities of a company where fuel containers, unused machinery, and diesel waste were stored, which intensified the magnitude of the fire and caused an explosion.
The proximity of the fire to a gas storage base increased panic among the population. Witnesses shared videos and photos on social media asking for help from the authorities. A nearby well-known water park was also evacuated immediately, as employees and visitors were there enjoying the last day of the holiday bridge for Holy Week.
The quick intervention of emergency services has so far prevented a greater tragedy. The governor of Tabasco, Javier May Rodríguez, informed through his social media that a coordinated operation was deployed to address the emergency, involving firefighters, civil protection, members of the Interinstitutional Tactical Reaction Force (FIRT Olmeca), National Guard, and Defense on-site to safeguard the integrity of families and mitigate the flames.
Although no injuries or fatalities have been reported, authorities have indicated that the material damage in the area is substantial due to the presence of several warehouses from different companies in the affected corridor. Federal, state, and municipal elements continue to work intensively on-site to control the fire while investigating the exact origin of the incident.
