Steel plant explosion in central Mexico kills at least 12 people

By Lizbeth Diaz

TLAXCALA, Mexico (Reuters) -An explosion at a Simec-owned steel plant in Mexico's central Tlaxcala state in the early hours of Wednesday killed at least 12 people, state authorities said.

"At the plant of the steel complex located in the city of Apizaco, Tlaxcala, a liquid steel spill occurred with the loss of human lives, temporarily paralyzing operations," the firm said in a statement.

Simec said it is investigating what caused the accident.

The state civil protection office said in a social media post that the blast was likely caused after smelting apparatus collapsed.

Those killed were workers at the plant, the state prosecutor's office told Reuters. One person is hospitalized in critical condition, the office added.

Authorities say they are investigating what caused the incident. However, molten steel, when it comes into contact with water, causes an explosion.

(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz in Tlaxcala and Raul Cortes and Kylie Madry in Mexico City; Editing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Marguerita Choy)

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