A powerful explosion alarmed motorists and neighbors this Thursday, May 21, at kilometer 106 of the route to the Atlantic, in San Agustín Acasaguastlán, El Progreso, after a tanker truck fell into a ravine and caught fire.
Videos shared on social networks show the moment in which the fire consumes the vehicle and, seconds later, a strong explosion occurs that generates a large cloud of smoke and a shock wave visible from several meters away.
The recordings also show people and agents of the National Civil Police (PNC) running for cover while the flames spread in the sector.
The Departmental Municipal Firefighters reported that the tanker truck fell into a ravine and that the fire reached nearby businesses. Due to the mishap, the vehicular passage was closed in both directions of the route to the Atlantic for several minutes.
The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) indicated that the fire was controlled and liquidated in its entirety.
For their part, Provial brigades coordinated road safety actions in the area due to a multiple collision recorded in the sector. Authorities reported temporary closure of traffic in both directions of CA-9 North.
The lifeguards located the charred body of a person and it is presumed to be the pilot of the trailer.
It has not been reported what product the tanker was transporting.
#TheProgress | A tanker truck fell into a ravine at km 106 of the Atlantic route, San Agustín Acasaguastlán, causing a strong explosion. The fire reached local businesses. @ASONBOMDGT works in the area; The vehicular passage is completely closed. #GTTransit pic.twitter.com/qzVymXjPHE
— RBCNoticiasGT (@RBCNoticiasGT) May 21, 2026
🚨 Vehicle fire 🚨
EXTENSION:
The staff of @ASONBOMDGT With the support of other emergency institutions, they manage to put out the flames that consumed a fuel pipe after an accident at kilometer 106 of the route to the Atlantic, the removal of debris and… pic.twitter.com/WzgLxLNopL
— ASONBOMD GUATEMALA (@ASONBOMDGT) May 21, 2026
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