Monterrey, Mexico— A massive warehouse fire in the industrial park north of Monterrey at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday turned deadly when a steel roof truss collapsed onto a firefighting team inside, killing one firefighter and injuring two others.
The warehouse stored plastic pallets, solvents, and auto parts. Workers reported smoke near a loading dock and evacuated. Within 20 minutes, flames broke through the roof. Four fire stations responded. Crews entered to attack from inside when the central roof section buckled.
The fallen firefighter, identified as 28-year-old Juan Carlos Rivera of Nuevo León Civil Protection, was part of a hose team on the second aisle. He was trapped under burning debris. Colleagues pulled him out after 15 minutes but he died en route to hospital. Two other firefighters suffered burns and smoke inhalation.
"Heat was extreme. We heard metal pop, then the roof came down. We shouted to get out," said a firefighter from the same crew who escaped with minor burns and asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak.
The fire burned for six hours. Black smoke was visible across Monterrey. Officials ordered evacuation of three adjacent warehouses due to chemical fumes. Air quality monitors were deployed.
The warehouse owner said the building had fire extinguishers but no sprinkler system. The state labor department had cited the facility in June for blocked emergency exits, according to records.
"The structure was light steel with no fireproofing. Plastic load was high. Once fire reached the roof, collapse was a matter of time," a state civil protection commander said at a press briefing.
Firefighter unions demanded better protective gear and mandatory aerial attack for warehouses with chemical loads. The governor’s office announced a day of mourning and said it would cover funeral costs.
The fire was declared under control at 8:10 p.m. The building is a total loss. Investigators will examine electrical panels and forklift charging stations as possible ignition sources.
The prosecutor’s office will review whether safety violations contributed to the firefighter’s death.
Published by Banx Network. This article is part of the Banx decentralized media programme, powered by the BXE token on the XRP Ledger.
