Powerful explosions rocked an industrial zone south of Buenos Aires on Friday night, sparking a massive fire and sending at least 22 people to the hospital, officials said. The blasts occurred inside the Spegazzini Industrial Park in Ezeiza, where several factories were struck.
“The explosions and fires breaking out in different factories are huge,” said Ezeiza Mayor Gaston Granados, who noted that the cause of the incident remains unknown.
Television footage showed thick black smoke rising from the complex, while videos circulating on social media captured towering flames and a shockwave sweeping through the area.The force of the blast was felt across Ezeiza and Canuelas, shattering windows in nearby homes. Some residents told local media they saw an object fall from the sky seconds before the explosion.
Hospital director Carlos Santoro confirmed that 22 people had been admitted with injuries. Local reports said at least five factories were affected. The industrial park houses tyre manufacturers, chemical plants, and other facilities.Granados said the fire involved multiple factories, including a chemical plant with warehouses storing agricultural and fertiliser-related products, as well as a plastics factory known as Plasticos Lago.“It’s all very chaotic. We’re focused on securing the area and evacuating anyone nearby,” he said, adding that 15 fire crews were battling the flames.
Fabian Garcia, civil defence director for Buenos Aires province, described the situation as “a complex fire” that would take a long time to control.Addressing early rumours of a possible aircraft crash, Granados said officials could “neither confirm nor deny” whether a small plane was involved until the fire is contained.
The owner of Sinteplast, a factory inside the park, told local media that his plant was not the source of the explosion, though the shockwave caused significant damage.“The blast destroyed gates, ceilings, and some structures. Fire pipes were blown off. It was a terrible explosion, and even though the fire didn’t reach us, the shockwave shook everything,” he said.
