The deaths occurred today in “a confined area of a tank in which cleaning and maintenance work was being done,” Jennifer Shelley, a spokeswoman for the Mexico City-based company, said in a statement. The brewer has contacted authorities and the families of the deceased workers, she said.
A Grupo Modelo SAB brewery stands in Mexico City. Photographer: Gustavo Graf/Bloomberg
Modelo, which makes Corona beer and has agreed to be acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev NV (ABI), is investigating the cause of the accident, Shelley said. Mexican newspaper Milenio reported that the deaths were due to unspecified toxins. Shelley declined to comment on the report.
There is no remaining risk to the surrounding neighborhood, the environment or the rest of the plant and its personnel, Shelley said in the statement.
The brewery is operating normally and production is not expected to be affected, she said in an e-mailed response to questions.