Explosion at Jose Cuervo Tequila Distillery Kills 5 and Injures 2, Mexican Officials Say

(Photos: Protección Civil Jalisco/X)

On late Tuesday afternoon, an explosion at Jose Cuervo’s historic La Rojeña distillery killed at least five workers and injured two, Mexican authorities said.

In surveillance footage shared by The New York Times, the explosion was seen spewing fire and debris mere blocks from the town center of Tequila, Mexico, at around 4:30 pm. The town and surrounding state of Jalisco is home to over 90% of the world’s tequila production; Jose Cuervo is its largest distiller in terms of quantity.

At least 40 firefighting and civil protection teams reportedly responded to the incident and ensuing fire. Authorities are unsure of the exact cause, though the explosion is believed to have begun with the igniting of a tank car containing 60,000 liters of alcohol.

“The incident apparently occurred due to an explosion in a boiler and spread to 3 containers of 219,000 litres,” Protección Civil Jalisco shared in a Facebook post. “Work is on fire control in coordination with municipal firefighters and the company’s Internal Civil Protection Unit.”

Authorities said the tragedy claimed the lives of five distillery workers and injured two, “one regular injured and one serious.” Both are being treated at the CMO Hospital center in the nearby city of Guadalajara. As of Tuesday night, the fire has been contained, leading the mayor of Tequila to lift a temporary stay-at-home order as services are restored to the area.

La Rojeña Distillery was purportedly founded in 1812, making it not only the oldest tequila distillery, but the oldest continually operating distillery of any kind in all of Latin America. Unlike many of its contemporaries, La Rojeña is situated in the heart of Tequila, Jalisco, a town home to over 40,000.

Jose Cuervo and its manufacturer Proximo Spirits are owned by the Beckmann family, who have managed operations for six successive generations. Today, Proximo is the largest producer of tequila in the world, overseeing imprints like 1800, Gran Centenario, Maestro Dobel and Gran Coramino in addition to its flagship, Jose Cuervo.

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