A MASSIVE explosion has left at least three dead and others running for their lives with a wall of flames hot on their heels.
Terrifying video footage of the moment a gas truck blew up on a major highway has been posted to social media, as the incident was classified as an “emergency”.
APThree people have died in a massive truck explosion in Mexico City[/caption]
APThe terrifying explosion saw thousands of litres of gasoline catch fire[/caption]
GettyEmergency services used water hoses and foam to get the blaze under control[/caption]
Multiple videos have surfaced online, showing a wall of flames spread through the air, engulfing everything in its path.
Terror-stricken witnesses fled the scene as thousands of litres of gasoline ignited on the major road in Mexico City.
The explosion left smoke and flames mushrooming around the vehicle, later billowing out across the south of the capital city.
Three people have died and at least 70 others are injured, including the truck driver.
The driver – along with 18 other injured people – was taken to hospital in “grave condition”.
Mayor Clara Brugada said the explosion burned nearly 30 cars and revealed one of the injured patients to be a two-year-old child.
Brugada said an investigation had been launched into the ordeal, with early findings showing the truck tipped over on the highway before the explosion.
“This is a horrible accident,” she said.
A logo on the side of the gas tanker displayed the energy company Silza, who have since denied ownership of the vehicle to The Associated Press.
According to a statement from Mexico‘s environment ministry, Silza did not have updated insurance paperwork for transporting gas, because it’s most recent application was denied.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, assisted by neighbours who ran to pull burn victims out of the fire to safety.
Victims of the blaze have been left with severe body burns, some with their clothing melting to their skin.
A list of injured patients show some victims had 100 per cent of their skin burned off.
Mexico‘s President Claudia Sheinbaum released a statement on X, expressing her condolences to the families of the dead victims and thanking emergency services.
Mexico City officials have declared the fire “completely under control” after hoses and foam were used to contain the blaze.
The explosion happened on one of the busiest and most important roadways flowing out of Mexico City towards the city of Puebla.
APThe blaze left 30 other vehicles burnt out[/caption]
Getty70 people – including the truck driver – have been left injured following the fire[/caption]
The road has since reopened.
The terrifying accident comes just two days after a tragic smash between a double decker bus and a train.
The incident left 10 people dead and dozens injured in Atlacomulco, north of Mexico City.
Footage shows the bus in a line of traffic on the Maravatio-Altacomulco highway.
Cars in either direction have stopped at the train tracks – though a motorbike scoots across at the last moment.
The bus, from company Herradura de Plata, is at first stationary at the front of the queue.
But then it suddenly decides to move forward, as if trying to reach the other side before the train passes.
Just as it reaches the middle of the tracks, the train ploughs into the centre of the coach.
The entire bus folds and is carried along by the train, which continued for hundreds of metres.
Emergency teams rushed to the scene and were met by chaos and devastation.
A photo taken soon after the catastrophe shows the rear end of the bus with the roof totally blown off.