In a video statement posted on Pemex’s Twitter account, Pemex director Octavio Romero Oropeza said the two people who died and the one missing are from the company that worked at the facility and not from Pemex. Oropeza said that the part of the platform where the fire started was completely destroyed and that Pemex is investigating what caused the fire.
Pemex’s efforts are now focused on finding the missing person and resuming operations, Oropeza said.
Pemex had previously reported that 321 workers out of the 328 that were working on the structure have already been evacuated, and four boats have been sent to control fires.
The state company added in its statement that “it will continue to report on the control, extinction of the fire and damage assessment throughout the day.”
Some employees of other platforms of the Cantarell production asset told CNN that the flames can be seen from the nearby platforms, so the incident appears to be of considerable magnitude.
The workers added that boats were deployed to evacuate some 180 workers and others for firefighting work. CNN is trying to contact Pemex for more details on the incident.
