Over 1,300 people evacuated due to gas leak in Mexico

More than 1,300 people were evacuated from seven neighbourhoods in Puebla city early Wednesday after a gas leak from a pipeline operated by state-owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), officials said.

The leak was traced to an illegal tap installed on the gas pipeline, prompting authorities to launch an emergency response and clear residents from areas considered at risk.

Among those evacuated were around 190 patients from a local hospital, highlighting the seriousness of the situation and the challenges involved in moving vulnerable people out of the affected zone.

The neighbourhoods placed under precautionary evacuation included Vicente Guerrero, Villa Frontera, Colonia San Pedro, Villas del Marquez, Villas de San Gregorio, Revolucion Mexicana and Venustiano Carranza.

Residents reportedly faced difficulties leaving the area because of limited public transportation, adding to the problems caused by the emergency.

A strong smell of gas was first detected at around 4:30 a.m. near an area known as Camino a Tlaltenongo. Emergency management personnel, firefighters and Pemex workers were quickly deployed and activated emergency procedures.

Pemex officials shut the relevant valve in neighbouring Tlaxcala state to stop the supply of gas through the pipeline. However, gas already trapped inside the pipeline continued escaping for several hours, keeping the area under precautionary restrictions.

Municipal authorities also suspended classes at 17 schools in the affected areas as a safety measure.

Illegal tapping of fuel pipelines is a recurring problem in parts of Mexico and has been linked to fuel theft, environmental hazards and serious risks to nearby communities. The Puebla incident once again highlighted the dangers posed by unauthorised modifications to energy infrastructure, particularly when such activities take place close to densely populated areas.