Buenos Aires, Nov 15 (EFE). - A powerful explosion shook this Friday an industrial hub in the town of Ezeiza, Buenos Aires province, twelve kilometers from Ministro Pistarini International Airport, the country's main one, affecting visibility in the area and, according to the local press, causing several injuries. The explosion occurred at an industrial complex in the town of Carlos Spegazzini and, according to local media, left a toll of at least 15 injured. Numerous flights scheduled to land at the airport have been delayed or diverted, and one of the access roads to the airport is blocked. The mayor of Ezeiza, Gastón Granados, reported in a conversation with the TN channel that for the moment it is unknown how and where the explosion originated and mentioned that the flames produced affected several plants in the industrial hub. "One of them is a chemical plant, where the warehouses burned, where there are things related to agriculture and fertilization. There is also a plastics plant," said Granados, who explained that the authorities are trying to "guarantee safety in the area." According to neighbors and medical sources cited by local media, most of the injured treated so far are residents of the area who presented mild and moderate injuries, from burns, polytrauma, and the bursting of glass from the shock wave. "Regarding the explosion that occurred tonight in the Ezeiza area, the Ministry of Health reports that the provincial and municipal hospitals in the region are working in a network and in an articulated manner, prepared to receive and care for all people who could have been affected," reported the Buenos Aires province Ministry of Health. "The Buenos Aires Province Emergency System has deployed more than 12 provincial mobile units, which are already operational in the area, in coordination with another 15 municipal mobile units deployed by the districts in the area," added in a statement. For its part, the Municipality of Ezeiza reported that "significant explosions were recorded" and that "the Cuenca Alta Néstor Kirchner Hospital activated the contingency plan for catastrophic situations and is ready to intervene if necessary, collaborating in a network with the rest of the health centers in the event area." "We request that the population inform themselves through official channels, and if they are in areas where smoke is perceived, to protect themselves with masks," added the local government in a statement.
