MEXICO CITY, March 17 (Reuters) - Five people died

outside Pemex's Olmeca refinery after "oily waters" around the

perimeter of the site caught fire, the Mexican state energy

company said in a statement on Tuesday.

One of the people who died was a Pemex worker, it added.

Pemex pointed to heavy rains as a contributing factor of the

accident, and said it is working with authorities to determine

the exact cause.

"Due to heavy rains that caused oily water to overflow

outside the Olmeca refinery, the liquid pooled and subsequently

ignited outside the facility's perimeter fence," Pemex said in a

statement.

Located in the southern state of Tabasco in the Gulf port of

Dos Bocas, Olmeca is among Mexico's largest refineries and began

operations in 2024.

It has faced a series of operating problems, including

recent stoppages, and remains far from its maximum processing

capacity of 340,000 barrels per day (bpd).