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Deadly gas tanker explosion in Mexico City suburb Deadly gas tanker explosion in Mexico City suburb
(about 7 hours later)
A gas tanker has exploded on a motorway in a suburb of Mexico City, killing at least 20 people and injuring 36, officials say. Rescue workers are searching the charred remains of houses and cars after a gas tanker exploded on a motorway in a suburb of Mexico City.
Television images showed damaged buildings and cars in the area of Ecatepec on Tuesday morning. Mexico state officials said at least 22 people had been killed and 36 injured in the blast.
The explosion happened at about 05:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on the highway between Mexico City and Pachuca. The explosion happened at 05:30 local time (10:30 GMT) on the highway between Mexico City and the city of Pachuca.
The driver of the truck is under arrest in hospital, where he was being treated, officials say. The driver of the lorry is under arrest in hospital, where he is being treated, officials say.
'War zone''War zone'
A giant plume of smoke rose over the area, about 14km (8.6 miles) north-east of the Mexican capital. Assistant State Prosecutor Jose Luis Cervantes said the lorry hit a centre divider on the highway, about 14km (8.6 miles) north-east of the Mexican capital.
The gas tanker was thought to be travelling north when it crashed into another vehicle, BBC Mexico correspondent Will Grant reports. The lorry was hauling two gas tanks, one of which flew into a house and exploded, killing 15 people.
At least 30 homes and 20 cars were damaged, according to local media. Mario Lopez managed to escape from the three-story home with his three sons.
Salvador Neme Sastre, secretary for citizen security in Mexico State, confirmed the casualty figures on Twitter but officials fear the number of dead could still rise. "Everything was in flames," he said. "We got down and left crawling," he described.
Some of the casualties were asleep in homes in poor areas along the edge of the road. Children were among those hurt. The second tank hit another home, killing a family of four.
Television images showed firefighters and rescue workers sifting through the wreckage, but there was no initial explanation as to what caused the crash. Neighbour Rogelio Martinez said residents did what they could to help rescue people.
The Mexican government announced measures in 2012 to lower the maximum allowed weight of freight vehicles after a series of crashes involving overloaded trucks. "We just pulled out burned people, and put out the fire in the houses, but we don't really know what happened," he said.
However, such accidents are still very common, our correspondent says. Some of the casualties were asleep in homes in poor areas along the edge of the road.
Mexican media said the area resembled a "war zone," with nearby homes and cars completely burned out.Mexican media said the area resembled a "war zone," with nearby homes and cars completely burned out.
Extensive damage
"It was a ball of fire," resident Carlos Gonzalez Silva told local radio, according to Reuters."It was a ball of fire," resident Carlos Gonzalez Silva told local radio, according to Reuters.
"We opened the door and it was like fire had blown through the whole of the garden.""We opened the door and it was like fire had blown through the whole of the garden."
Mexican radio station Formato 21 said a family of four, including two children aged 11 and 6, were among the dead. At least 30 homes and 20 cars were damaged, according to local media.
Dozens of ambulances were at the scene. The explosion is the latest in a series of accidents involving heavy goods vehicles and overloaded lorries.
The highway was set to reopen gradually, officials said. In 2012, the government announced measures to lower the maximum weight allowed on freight vehicles and on Tuesday the transportation department said it had set up a panel of experts to further study the issue.