25 killed in Mexico City blast at Pemex HQ
25 people have been killed and over 100 others injured after a blast at the headquarters of oil-giant Pemex in Mexico City. There are reports that as many as 30 people are still trapped in the rubble at the base of the 54-storey skyscraper in the heart of the city's commercial district, with Miguel Angel Osorio Chong of the country's interior ministry saying that efforts would continue to search for survivors.
"At the moment, the priority is to attend to the victims, the injured, their families, following through with the instructions of the President (Pena Nieto) to remove the last bit of debris in order to make sure there is no one trapped. We don't have information that allows us to say whether there are people still in this condition (trapped). Just a couple of hours ago, a person was rescued alive. We will spare no effort in this situation."
Soldiers and marines have joined efforts to search for survivors, whilst relatives of those missing have gathered by the scene in the hope of finding information about their loved ones. Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto visited the scene of the blast and offered his condolences on Twitter to the families of those who have lost their lives in the tragedy.
It is unknown as to what caused the blast, the worst explosion in Mexico City for 30 years, with Pemex saying the incident is now under investigation.
Written and presented by Alfred Joyner