The National Civil Protection Coordination of the Government of Mexico issued a high-risk alert due to the theft of a cylinder containing gaseous chlorine used in water treatment in the municipality of Celaya, Guanajuato.
‼️ Inhaling this highly toxic gas can be fatal, and contact with the skin and mucous membranes can cause severe damage. Authorities specified that the cylinder was at 50% capacity of its 68-kilogram capacity.
The Guanajuato government alerted its 46 municipalities and requested that emergency services be prepared for any contingency due to the possible gas leakage. The alert was also issued in neighboring states: Aguascalientes, Estado de México, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, and Zacatecas.
Municipal and state police began patrols to locate the tank in scrapyards, vacant lots, and businesses where it could be taken to sell. Likewise, the population was urged that if they locate the cylinder, they should not handle it, move away from it, and immediately notify the authorities.
