The Fire Department says flammable material that was inadequately stored is likely to have caused the San Cristobal explosion. El Dia TV morning talk show released the investigators’ findings of the explosion that collapsed several buildings and killed 34 persons in San Cristóbal on 14 August 2023.
The preliminary report of the Fire Department indicates that methane and ethylene gases are likely to have caused the explosion that occurred that Monday at around 3pm.
The preliminary report states that a recycling company installed in the old San Cristóbal market “contained accumulations of gases and flammable materials whose sparks, ignition, heat or friction could have triggered could have triggered the explosion that occurred on 14 August.”
The incident occurred on Padre Ayala Street near the corner of Jacinto J. Peinado, where the Vidal Plast company operated. The report says some elements indicate that the combustible gasses were in the area where the company stored and recycled plastic. The fire department says that the flammable material was stored without adequate ventilation.
In March 2023, a fire occurred at the plastics recycling plant and the fire department notified the company that it should remove or adequately store the flammable materials, namely Organic Peroxide.
San Cristóbal senator Franklin Rodriguez said it is evident the company did not comply with the fire department’s order. Neither did the fire department follow up on the situation.
Rodríguez said in an interview on the El Día program on Telesistema Channel 11, that the preliminary report on the explosion looks into the March fire where Organic Peroxide 5.2 combustible material were found on site. The material is highly explosive when combined with methane and other chemicals.
The legislator stressed that what happened last Monday, the 14th, at the facilities of the Vidal Plast plastic recycling company must have legal consequences since up to now, the tragedy has resulted in 34 deaths, 60 injuries and seven patients who are in hospital in critical condition.
Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario
El Dia
Hoy
El Dia
N Digital
30 August 2023