At least 73 people have been killed in Friday's fuel pipeline explosion in Mexico's central state of Hidalgo, said governor Omar Fayad on Saturday evening, Trend reported citing Xinhua.
He also reported that the number of people injured is now 74. Among them, 24 are being treated in hospitals in Hidalgo and 50 others are at hospitals in Mexico City, the States of Mexico, Queretaro and Guanajuato.
Previous reports said that at least 71 people were killed and 76 others injured in the explosion.
"The expectation of finding more people alive is practically disappearing," he added.
The explosion and ensuing blaze occurred at a pipeline spot in the community of San Primitivo of the municipality of Tlahuelilpan at around 7:00 p.m. local time (0100 GMT) on Friday, when hundreds of people gathered around a leak to collect fuel.
The pipeline of the state-owned petroleum company Pemex runs from the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico to the Tula refinery, near the site of the incident.