Three workers hospitalised after industry’s seventh hydrogen explosion in past 12 months

09 12 2025 | 08:30Leigh Collins / HYDROGEN INSIGHT

Two suffered serious burns in the blast at a plant in Paraguay, while the third was injured by a falling roof, according to local reports

Three workers have been hospitalized in Paraguay after a hydrogen explosion at a plant near the capital city, Asunción.

It is the industry’s seventh significant hydrogen explosion globally in the past 12 months to be noted by Hydrogen Insight, six of which caused deaths or injuries to workers.
The blast occurred at around 1pm on Sunday afternoon at an industrial plant in the city of Capiatá, part of the Asunción metropolitan area, belonging to a company called Cahpsa, where it makes cooking oils, detergents and other food products.

The explosion was heard kilometres away, according to multiple local reports.

Cahpsa, which was known as Conti until last year, said in a statement that “the preliminary cause of the incident appears to be related to the hydrogen storage system”.

 

“Company technical teams, along with external specialists, are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the exact source of the problem.”

City mayor Laura Gamarra told national newspaper La Nación that a company director informed her that the blast occurred in the hydrogenation part of the plant where hydrogen is added to cooking oil.
La Nación reported that a worker named Robin Padilla, a Bolivian national, suffered first-degree burns over 72% of his body, and was in critical condition, while 68-year-old engineer Cayo César Fretes Lucena also suffered burns and was in a “serious” condition.

A third man, named as Derlis Raúl Leguizamón Martínez, who was in charge of the on-site laboratory, was hospitalised after “sustaining injuries from the collapse of the roof”.

Cahpsa stated that it was providing “all necessary assistance” to the three injured men and their families.

“Their full recovery is the company’s priority,” it said.

“As part of standard procedure, plant operations were shut down and the affected area has been isolated. The situation is completely under control and there is no risk to the community or other personnel.”

Cover photo:  The aftermath of the explosion at the Cahpsa industrial plant in Paraguay.

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