(This was translated from Spanish to English using Alta Vista's translator. Brackets [....] are mine)

Source: New Developments, An independent newspaper of Mexico City, Mexico, "National" section

Mexico D.f. 13 of March of 2000.

AT NIGHT THEY DECREE ITS CLOSING

Five pipes in the company " Regal Gas " explode

Colonies hundreds of inhabitants of Santiago Ahuizotla and San Lorenzo Toltenango evacuate to

By Hector Arceo Trujillo

A great police mobilization and of the Body of Firemen of the city of Mexico and the State of Mexico, including of soldiers was made the morning of yesterday by five explosions in tankers that was registered in the company " Regal located Gas " [Regal Gas] in the delegation of Azcapotzalco, to a side of which before was the Mexican Petroleum Refinery. At night the gas company was closed.

Hundreds of neighbors of the colonies Santiago Ahuizotla and San Lorenzo Toltenango were evacuated before the fear of which a greater conflagration in the zone appeared, due to the wreck that originated in the Regio company Gas [Regal Gas Company] in where there was more than 130 tankers with gas.

It is possible to need that in spite of spectacular from the explosions and the later fire only one person was injured by burns, is the fireman Francisco Armando Armendariz, who was transferred to the Mocel hospital, in where the doctors report injuries by burn in face, eyes and hands.

Versions of workers of the company revealed that the mishap began in the morning around the 10:20 of yesterday when a tanker with 132 number and board KN60975 was hit against a wall of the facilities. That caused, added, that happened flamazo and with it it reached to other four units that were in the filling area, which caused the explosion of the tankers and later it set afire.

Personnel asked for the support of the patrol crafts of unit 15222 of the Secretariat of Public Security that due to the magnitude of the problem, - since used of the gasera they began to retire almost the 130 truck-pipe-asked for the presence of firemen of the city of Mexico, as well as of the State of Mexico and PEMEX.

At the place they arrived more than 150 firemen who led themselves to choke the conflagration, which could be controlled spent two hours. He is possible to need that during the wreck a helicopter of the SSP flew over the zone and through the radio it ordered to patrol crafts that the neighbors of two near colonies evacuated as they are Santiago Ahuizotla and San Lorenzo Toltenago in Azcapotzalco, because danger because existed the gasera is located in an area of 16 thousand square meters.

He is possible to stand out that the zone near the wreck was surrounded and effective of the SSP they turned aside the transit in road of the Orange as well as in the avenue Engineer Military - place where gasera- is located to avoid mayores problems with the neighbors. As well as to give space to the more than 130 vehicles than they were removed by employees of the gasera and uniformed in order that these units - some with gas were not reached about the fire.

It is possible to emphasize that more than 150 firemen personnel of the Secretariat of the National defense in the workings of extinction and transfer to safe places of the truck-pipe were also supported by.

The report of the Secretariat of precise Public Security that the explosions affected seven pipes which burned. Four were consumed in their totality and three partially. It is possible to need that a gas unit has capacity between 5 thousand and 10 thousand liters each one.

The most affected they were those than they carry boards KM08490; KM36458; KP10928. They were evacuated two more by firemen of PEMEX with boards of circulation KN77449 and KN212516.

At night, the Main directorate of Proteccisn Civil (DGPC) of the capital government informed that the delegation Miguel Hidalgo came to the closing of the Regal company Gas, in whom this morning registered a fire.

http://www.novedades.com.mx/n71303.htm

~~

ORIGINAL IN SPANISH:

Novedades - Un diario independiente, Nacional

Novedades Editores

Mixico D.F. 13 de Marzo de 2000.

POR LA NOCHE DECRETAN SU CLAUSURA

Explotan cinco pipas en la empresa "Regio Gas"

Desalojan a cientos de habitantes de las colonias Santiago Ahuizotla y San Lorenzo Toltenango

Por HECTOR ARCEO TRUJILLO

Una gran movilizacisn policiaca y del Cuerpo de Bomberos de la ciudad de Mixico y del Estado de Mixico, inclusive de soldados se realizs la maqana de ayer por cinco explosiones en camiones pipas que se registraron en la empresa " Regio Gas" ubicada en la delegacisn de Azcapotzalco, a un lado de lo que antes era la Refinerma de Petrsleos Mexicanos. Por la noche la compaqma de gas fue clausurada.

Cientos de vecinos de las colonias Santiago Ahuizotla y San Lorenzo Toltenango fueron desalojados ante el temor de que se presentara una conflagracisn mayor en la zona, debido al siniestro que se origins en la empresa Regio Gas en donde habma mas de 130 camiones pipas con gas. Cabe precisar que a pesar de lo aparatoso de las explosiones y posterior incendio sslo una persona results lesionada por quemaduras, se trata del bombero Francisco Armando Armendariz, quien fue trasladado al hospital Mocel, en donde los midicos reportan lesiones por quemadura en rostro, ojos y manos.

Versiones de trabajadores de la empresa revelaron que el percance se inicis alrededor de las 10:20 de la maqana de ayer cuando un camisn pipa con nzmero 132 y placa KN60975 se impacts contra un muro de las instalaciones. Eso provocs, aqadieron, que se ocurriera un flamazo y con ello alcanzara a otras cuatro unidades que estaban en el area de llenado, lo que ocasions la explosisn de los camiones pipa y posterior incendis.

Personal solicits el apoyo de los patrulleros de la unidad 15222 de la Secretarma de Seguridad Pzblica quienes debido a la magnitud del problema, -ya que empleados de la gasera comenzaron a retirar los casi 130 camiones-pipa- solicitaron la presencia de bomberos de la ciudad de Mixico, asm como del Estado de Mixico y de Pemex.

Al lugar llegaron mas de 150 bomberos quienes se abocaron a sofocar la conflagracisn, la cual pudo ser controlada pasadas dos horas. Cabe precisar que durante el siniestro un helicsptero de la SSP sobrevols la zona y a travis de la radio ordens a patrulleros que desalojaran a los vecinos de dos colonias cercanas como son Santiago Ahuizotla y San Lorenzo Toltenago en Azcapotzalco, debido a que existma peligro porque la gasera se ubica en un area de 16 mil metros cuadrados. Cabe resaltar que la zona cercana al siniestro fue acordonada y efectivos de la SSP desviaron el transito en calzada de la Naranja asm como en la avenida Ingenieros Militares -lugar donde se ubica la gasera- para evitar mayores problemas con los vecinos.

Asm como para dar espacio a las mas de 130 vehmculos que fueron sacados por empleados de la gasera y uniformados a fin de que estas unidades -algunas con gas- no fueran alcanzadas por el fuego.

Cabe destacar que los mas de 150 bomberos fueron apoyados tambiin por personal de la Secretarma de la Defensa Nacional en las labores de extincisn y traslado a lugares seguros de los camiones-pipa.

El reporte de la Secretarma de Seguridad Pzblica precisa que las explosiones afectaron a siete pipas las cuales se quemaron. Cuatro fueron consumidas en su totalidad y tres parcialmente. Cabe precisar que una unidad de gas tiene capacidad entre 5 mil y 10 mil litros cada una.

Las mas afectadas fueron las que portan las placas KM08490; KM36458; KP10928. Dos mas fueron desalojadas por bomberos de Pemex con placas de circulacisn KN77449 y KN212516.

Por la noche, la Direccisn General de Proteccisn Civil (DGPC) del gobierno capitalino informs que la delegacisn Miguel Hidalgo procedis a la clausura de la empresa Regio Gas, en la que esta maqana se registrs un incendio.

[Nacional]

-- Lee Maloney (leemaloney@hotmail.com), March 13, 2000

Answers

Earlier report translated by Alta Vista's translator. Brackets [...] are mine.....

Mixico D.F., March 11, 2000

SPECTACULAR EXPLOSIONS IN a GASERA OF AZCAPOTZALCO

A great police mobilization and the Body of Firemen of the City of Mexico and the State of Mexico caused yesterday five explosions in a gasera located in the delegation of Azcapotzalco, to a side of which before it was the Petroleum Refinery of Mexico. Hundreds of neighbors of the colonies Santiago Ahuizotla and San Lorenzo Toltenango were evacuated before the fear of which a greater conflagration in the zone will appear. A great mobilization of bodies of rescue, firemen, Civil Protection and of the Army even caused the fire in the Regal gasera Gas, where almost 50 thousand liters of fuel are consumed. The Direction of Public Security of Naucalpan indicated that around the 10:30 hours a roar in the center of distribution was listened to, located between Military Engineer avenues and 16 of September [avenue], which caused alarm between the inhabitants of the Ahuizotla colony. The fire began to extend and to consume the content of three pipes with capacity of 12 thousand liters, which forced to ask for the aid of the firemen of Naucalpan, Atizapan, Huixquilucan, Tlalnepantla and Federal District to try to choke the fire.

Source: Novedades (New Developments), An Independent Newspaper of Mexico City, Mexico

http://www.novedades.c om.mx/sintesis.htm

~~

ORIGINAL IN SPANISH:

Mixico D.F. 11 de Marzo de 2000.

APARATOSAS EXPLOSIONES EN UNA GASERA DE AZCAPOTZALCO

Una gran movilizacisn policiaca y del Cuerpo de Bomberos de la Ciudad de Mixico y del Estado de Mixico causaron ayer cinco explosiones en una gasera ubicada en la delegacisn de Azcapotzalco, a un lado de lo que antes era la Refinerma de Petrsleos de Mixico. Cientos de vecinos de las colonias Santiago Ahuizotla y San Lorenzo Toltenango fueron desalojados ante el temor de que se presentara una conflagracisn mayor en la zona. Una gran movilizacisn de cuerpos de rescate, bomberos, Proteccisn Civil e incluso del Ejircito provocs el incendio en la gasera Regio Gas, donde se consumen casi 50 mil litros de combustible. La Direccisn de Seguridad Pzblica de Naucalpan indics que alrededor de las 10:30 horas se escuchs un estruendo en el centro de distribucisn, ubicado entre las avenidas Ingenieros Militares y 16 de septiembre, lo que ocasions alarma entre los habitantes de la colonia Ahuizotla. El fuego comenzs a extenderse y a consumir el contenido de tres pipas con capacidad de 12 mil litros, lo que obligs a solicitar el auxilio de los bomberos de Naucalpan, Atizapan, Huixquilucan, Tlalnepantla y Distrito Federal para intentar sofocar el incendio.

Novedades, un diario independiente

-- Lee Maloney (leemaloney@hotmail.com), March 14, 2000.