Powerful explosions tore through an industrial area south of Buenos Aires on Friday night, igniting a fire and sending at least 22 people to the hospital, officials said.
The incident took place inside the Spegazzini Industrial Park in Ezeiza, where multiple factories were hit. “The explosions and fire breaking out in the different factories are huge,” said Gaston Granados, the mayor of Ezeiza, who added that the cause of the blasts was still unknown.
Television footage showed thick smoke billowing from the industrial zone, while dramatic videos shared on social media captured towering flames and a powerful shockwave ripping through the area.
The blast, felt across Ezeiza and Canuelas, shattered windows in nearby homes, and some residents told local media they saw an object fall from the sky moments before impact.
Hospital director Carlos Santoro said his facility had received 22 injured people. According to local media, five factories were hit by the explosions and fire. The industrial area features companies making tyres and chemical products, among other goods.
Granados said the flames affected several plants in the industrial park. “One of them is a chemical plant, where the warehouses caught fire, and where there are facilities related to agriculture and fertilisers. There is also a plastics plant called Plasticos Lago,” he told local media.
Granados described the scene as chaotic. “It’s all very confusing. We’re trying to ensure safety in the area and evacuate anyone who might be nearby. Fire crews are working to combat the intense fire that’s burning in all areas,” he said. The mayor confirmed that 15 fire crews responded to the emergency.
“It is a complex fire. It will be a long fire,” said Fabian Garcia, civil defence director for Buenos Aires province.
Granados also addressed early speculation that a small plane may have been involved, saying officials “can neither confirm nor deny that a plane crashed” until the fire is fully under control.
The owner of Sinteplast, a factory located within the industrial park, clarified that his plant was not the source of the fire, despite initial reports.
“The explosion destroyed everything, gates, ceilings, some structures, and fire pipes were blown off. Fire brigades are on the scene. It was a terrible explosion. It didn't reach our factory, but the shockwave shook everything,” he told local media.
— With additional input from AFP
