The Attorney General of Neuquén, José Gerez, headed this Friday an inspection at the New American Oil refineryin the town of Plaza Huincul to try to establish the causes of the explosion that took place in the early hours of Thursday and that caused a fire that caused the death of three workersreported the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) of the Patagonian province.
During the inspection, Gerez was accompanied by the prosecutor in the case, Ana Mathieu; the legal assistant Valeria Cevallos; the members of the Prosecutor’s Office, María Laura Miguel and Ana Paula Iturra; a graduate in security systems, protection against accidents and a specialist in fire control who intervenes as an expert for the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and Firefighters personnel.
In addition, the general secretary of the Río Negro, Neuquén and La Pampa Private Oil and Gas Union, Marcelo Rucci, asked to participate in the inspection and accompanied the attorney general and the team.
“We are working with all resources to quickly advance the investigation and be able to establish the causes that caused the explosion,” Gerez said.
According to the preliminary information gathered during the day this Friday, the event occurred around 4:10 in the refinery that is owned by the company New American Oil, and that works in the petrochemical park in the town of Plaza Huincul.
MPF spokesmen reported that The three people who died were identified as Gonzalo Molina (31), Víctor Herrera (58) and Fernando Jara (34).all refinery workers.
The prosecutor of the case indicated that, once the fire was controlled by the Fire Department personnel, the expert reports began to establish the causes of the explosion, in charge of the safety and hygiene expert.
The bodies of the three deceased people were transferred to the city of Neuquén, where the autopsies will be carried out today in the Forensic Medical Corps.
