A gas tanker exploded under a highway overpass in Mexico City on Wednesday, killing at least three people, injuring 70 people, destroying more than a dozen vehicles sending massive flames and smoke into the air.

The explosion occurred under a highway overpass on the east side of Mexico City. Mayor Clara Brugada called the incident an “emergency,” noting that 19 people suffered grave injuries.

Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada said on X that 70 people had been injured and three killed. She released a preliminary list of those hospitalised, saying it would be updated as medical assessments continue.

"We will continue to provide medical support to the victims of this incident," she said.

Images circulated online by authorities showed a massive fire engulfing the truck, while social media videos captured panicked residents running from the blaze.

The city's fire department later said the flames had been fully extinguished in and around the overturned tanker trailer, which had been hauling liquefied petroleum gas.

The fire destroyed 18 vehicles in total, including an empty passenger bus.

The truck bore the logo of the energy company Silza, though a company official said the vehicle was not theirs, as they operate only in northern Mexico. Prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident.

Emergency services, including firefighters and medical teams, responded quickly to contain the fire and treat the injured, transporting them to hospitals across the city.

This incident marks the second major accident on highways in Mexico this week.

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