Gas blasts rock central Mexican city, killing at least 1

Officials say an illegal tap on a natural gas line is apparently to blame for pre-dawn explosions that shook the central Mexico city of Puebla

MEXICO CITY -- A series of explosions, apparently caused by an illegal tap on a natural gas line, rocked the central Mexico city of Puebla before dawn Sunday, killing at least one person, injuring 11 and damaging dozens of homes, authorities said.

Puebla state Gov. Miguel Barbosa said an emergency call warning of a gas smell and cloud in the area gave officials about 80 minutes to evacuate some 2,000 people living as far as a kilometer (about s half mile) from the leak before the first of three explosions, which came shortly before 3 a.m.

“If there had not been an evacuation and there had not been coordination, there would have been a tragedy of great proportions," the governor said.

Officials said at least 54 homes were destroyed or damaged in the San Pablo Xochimehuacan district of Puebla, a city of 1.7 million people. At least two of the injured were in critical condition with severe burns.