TLAHUELILPAN, MEXICO — Mexican officials say at least 79 people were killed in a fuel pipeline blast last Friday in the town of Tlahuelilpan, in Hidalgo state. <br />According to Reuters, suspected fuel thieves punctured the Tula-Tuxpan pipeline a few miles from one of the country's main refineries on Friday, causing a large get of fuel to rise into the air. <br />According to authorities, around 800 people scrambled to fill up containers from the 23-foot (7 meter) gasoline geyser. <br />A few hours later, the geyser erupted in flames in a powerful explosion.<br />During a press conference, Pemex chief executive Octavio Romero said the company was aware of a leak along the pipeline at around 16:50 local time. <br />According to BBC, locals said President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's new policy to crack down on fuel theft has created shortages. <br /><br />Mexico says fuel theft cost the country about US$3 billion just last year. President López Obrador has said he will continue his anti-theft policy until the illegal practice was stopped.
