Argentina Explosion: Fatal Gas Plant Blast Under Investigation
An Argentinian gas processing plant explosion which killed one, injured a few, left thousands without power and slowed production for several industries is under investigation.
The explosion was reported Friday, after 9:20 a.m., and claimed the life a 50-year-old farmer who was driving by the Pilar power plant in his pickup truck. This happened in the province of Cordoba, according to La Voz.
Some of those burned by the fire, which was hotter than 1,000 degrees, include a teacher and a child.
The Shanghai Daily reported that local news agencies said those injured were motorists who were traveling near the plant, and suggested the aging infrastructure of the 1960s plant was at fault for the disaster. None of the victims were plant employees.
At least 14,000 were initially without power, but some electricity was restored and the thermoelectric company, TGN, had slowly restored power to affected areas over the weekend, according to La Voz.
The federal gas regulatory body, Enargas, announced the investigation three days after the explosion and said there could be penalties for the gas company in the fatal explosion.
There were also some reports of a possible gas leak days before the explosion, but Pilar Mayor Diego Bechis told La Voz that he had not heard of any such reports, and it could not be true because the gas would not give off any odor.
Some industries suffered losses and a decrease in production because of the explosion.
At least 30,000 liters of milk had to be dumped at a dairy company in Pilar because of the gas being turned off.
Food production companies, as well as bars, restaurants, wineries, nursing homes and school cafeterias in the region were also affected.
Individual residences had to be inspected and the gas restored by a technician, which would take several days, Bechis told La Voz Monday.
The fire burned at least 164 feet high and was under control by about noon Friday.
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