Six workers were injured following an explosion and fire at a Pemex refinery in Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, on Monday night [1].

The incident occurred at the "Ing. Antonio Dovalí Jaime" refinery, specifically within the Plant Hidros 2 facility [2]. Because the blast happened during the commissioning phase of the plant, the event raises questions about safety protocols during the final stages of operational readiness.

According to reports, the explosion originated in a cooling tower while personnel were carrying out work related to the commissioning of the plant [3]. The blast ignited a fire that required emergency intervention to contain [4]. Pemex officials said that six people were injured in the event [1].

A Pemex spokesperson said, "Evento está bajo control" — the event is under control [5]. Other representatives from the company confirmed the location of the accident, saying, "El siniestro ocurrió en la planta Hidros 2" [6].

Emergency crews worked to stabilize the site after the blast on May 11, 2026 [7]. While some reports initially dated the incident to May 12, the primary timeline indicates the explosion occurred Monday night [7]. Pemex said that it controlled the fire at the Salina Cruz refinery plant [8].

The refinery remains a critical piece of infrastructure in the region. The company has not yet released a detailed forensic report on the exact cause of the cooling tower failure, though the timing coincides with the active commissioning process [3].

“Six workers were injured following an explosion and fire at a Pemex refinery.”

This incident underscores the inherent risks associated with the commissioning phase of industrial energy projects, where systems are tested under operational pressure. The fact that a cooling tower failed during this stage suggests a potential gap in the pre-operational safety checks or a mechanical failure during the ramp-up process at the Salina Cruz facility.