Isla Mujeres, Q.R. — A powerful LP gas explosion caused by leak sent three member of a family to Cancun hospital Tuesday. The explosion happened in a second story apartment in the La Gloria neighborhood of the island early this morning.
According to official information from Civil Protection, four people were injured, however, three were transferred to Cancun for burn treatment. One of those transferred was a 1 year old girl.
The accident happened around 8:30 a.m. Isla Mujeres City Hall said Civil Protection, firemen and public safety personnel were at the scene to provide assistance and coordinate the transfer of the injured people.
The three who required medical treatment due to burns were transferred to the mainland by Marina personnel Tuesday morning.
The explosion was believed caused by a leak in a gas tank. The blast blew out the second story windows, sending debris across the street. The sidewalk across from the apartment was littered with glass from the upstairs unit.
According to neighbors, the Poot family had a gas leak in the kitchen and when they turned on the stove it exploded, shattering glass from two windows.
In a brief statement, Ayuntamiento de Isla Mujeres said “We deeply regret the domestic accident that occurred this morning in the La Gloria neighborhood, where four people were injured.
“Three of them, including a one-year-old girl, were transported to Cancún with burns requiring specialized care.
“From the outset, Civil Protection, Fire Department and Public Safety personnel responded to the scene to provide immediate assistance and coordinate the transfer of the injured with support from Navy personnel.
“The Mayor is in constant contact with the affected family and has instructed the relevant departments to maintain communication with those affected by this tragedy.
“The family was also assisted in obtaining a technical report to determine the cause of the incident and reinforce preventative measures in the area. We reiterate our call to the public to have their gas installations regularly inspected to prevent future incidents.”
The fourth person injured was an elderly woman. She was treated at the scene by responding paramedics before being transferred to a local hospital.
Authorities are continuing to investigate an official cause for the LP gas explosion.
