Major fire breaks out at Pemex refinery in eastern Mexico
A major fire has broken out at an oil refinery run by Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) in the eastern city of Minatitlan by the Gulf of Mexico, Mexican media and authorities said.
The blaze started on Wednesday afternoon, according to media reports and Mexico's safety, energy and environment regulator ASEA said it was monitoring the situation.
ASEA's executive director Angel Carrizales said on Twitter the fire started in a gasoline transfer pump.
Footage posted on social media showed flames leaping inside the refinery and thick black plumes of smoke billowing out.
Police from the state of Veracruz said emergency services were arriving at the scene. It was not immediately clear what, if any, human cost the blaze had caused.
Pemex did not immediately reply to questions about the fire.
The refinery, one of six operated by Pemex, has a capacity of up to 285,000 barrels per day, according to the company.
(Reporting by Noe Torres; editing by Drazen Jorgic; editing by Grant McCool)
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