Massive Blast Triggers Huge Fire In Argentina Industrial Zone, At Least 22 Injured
A powerful explosion ripped through an industrial area on the outskirts of Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires on Friday, sparking a massive fire in Ezeiza city and leaving at least 22 people injured, officials said. The late-night blast sent flames and thick plumes of smoke billowing over the industrial park, prompting a large-scale emergency response in the region.
Ezeiza mayor Gaston Granados described the situation as extremely serious, saying the “explosions and fire breaking out in the different factories are huge,” as quoted by AFP. He added that fire crews were struggling to bring the blaze under control and that the exact cause of the initial explosion had not yet been established.
Videos shared on social media showed huge flames shooting into the sky and dense smoke rising from the complex, with reports indicating that five factories were impacted by the blasts and subsequent fire. Local media said several buildings in the industrial park were hit, fuelling concerns over the presence of hazardous materials.
Officials noted that the industrial area houses multiple manufacturing units, including tyre makers and chemical product factories. Fabian Garcia, civil defence director for Buenos Aires province, called it “a complex fire” and warned that it would be “a long fire,” suggesting that firefighting operations could continue for an extended period.
The inferno and smoke severely reduced visibility around the area, disrupting operations at the Ministro Pistarini International Airport, Argentina’s main international gateway. Several flights were reportedly delayed or diverted due to poor weather visibility conditions following the blast and fire.
Preliminary reports indicated that the blaze may have started in one of the five factories later found engulfed in flames. Mayor Granados told local media that one of the affected units was a chemical plant where warehouses caught fire, while another was a plastics factory, raising fears of toxic emissions.
Most of the injured suffered minor to moderate burn injuries and wounds caused by shattering glass, according to local media accounts. Emergency teams and firefighters continued to work through the night and into the next day in an effort to contain the massive blaze and prevent it from spreading further across the industrial park.