May 13 (Reuters) – A Pemex worker injured in an explosion at Oaxaca refinery in the Port of Salina Cruz died on Tuesday evening, Mexican media Milenio reported on its website on Wednesday, citing confirmation from Pemex personnel speaking anonymously.
According to medical reports, Victor Hugo López Matus suffered third-degree burns over 80% of his body during the explosion in the cooling tower of the Hidros II plant, Milenio said.
Pemex did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Late on Monday, Pemex confirmed that a fire broke out in a cooling tower inside the 325,000-barrel-per-day refinery, which it said had been fully extinguished.
The company added that six people were injured and taken to a hospital.
Pemex, Mexico’s state oil company, was forced to partially shut down the refinery on Monday after the fire, according to a source familiar with the matter and industry monitor IIR Energy.
(Reporting by Anjana Anil in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Chopra and Louise Heavens)
Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.