12 dead and 1 injured in explosion at steel plant in central Mexico

MEXICO CITY — A fire at a steel plant in central Mexico killed 12 people and left one injured on Wednesday, local authorities said.

Tlaxcala state Civil Protection said the fire call in Xaloztoc, about 87 miles (140 kilometers) east of Mexico City, came in shortly after 3 a.m. Another person was injured, but that person’s condition was unknown.

Based on preliminary information from workers, an explosion and fire occurred when molten steel came in contact with water, the agency said in a statement. The fire was controlled and an investigation was ongoing.

Tlaxcala Gov. Lorena Cuellar expressed her condolences to the victims’ families and planned to travel to the site.