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Fire at Jose Cuervo distillery kills six
A tank explosion at Jose Cuervo’s La Rojeña factory in Mexico on Tuesday has resulted in the death of six workers.
In a statement, Jose Cuervo confirmed the incident at its factory in the town of Tequila in Jalisco, which took place on Tuesday 23 July at 4.30pm CST.
“We are saddened to confirm that five individuals have lost their lives, and others were injured while performing maintenance work at the distillery,” a company spokesperson said.
“The fire was effectively controlled and extinguished under strict safety protocols. Prioritising the safety of our employees, neighbours, and visitors, the distillery and its surroundings were evacuated. We are fully cooperating with the relevant authorities to investigate the cause.
“Casa Cuervo reiterates that the safety and well-being of our employees, neighbours, and visitors is our top priority, and we extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones affected by this incident.”
Mexican authorities have since confirmed another body has been found, taking the death toll to six, and a further two workers have been injured. Another fire was reported to have broken out the next morning, though it is unclear if someone was inside the distillery at the time.
On X (formerly Twitter), the Jalisco Civil Protection Unit (JCPU) account said: “This morning while the cooling and debris removal manoeuvres continued after the fire that occurred yesterday in a distillery in the central area of the municipality of Tequila, a lifeless person was located inside a retention pit.
“In the container area. With this discovery, the number of people who died as a result of the incident at the Tequila company has risen to six. Also, during the morning a new fire broke out in a storage area for cardboard and other materials.
“The fire reached a 200-litre drum containing raw material waste. Thanks to the rapid and efficient intervention of the Municipal Civil Protection staff, in coordination with the company’s internal Civil Protection Unit, the fire was brought under control.
“It is important to emphasise that local authorities continue to monitor the situation and work together to ensure the safety of the community and prevent future incidents.”
Jose Cuervo is the world’s biggest selling Tequila brand and La Rojeña is where it distills its products.
The Proximo Spirits-owned brand has grown its volumes in five years from 7.3m nine‐litre cases to 9.5m last year, a rise of 3.3% on 2022.
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