Family Claims Chemical Exposure Caused Brain Damage After Sonora Train Derailment

A security guard hospitalized in Nogales, Sonora, is at the center of a new controversy surrounding a train derailment that spilled hazardous chemicals. His family alleges that Luis Arturo Osuna Vázquez suffered irreversible brain damage due to inhaling toxic substances released after the July 26 accident in Naco.

According to an audio recording provided by his wife, a doctor at the IMSS Bienestar Hospital in Nogales stated that a tomography scan revealed cerebral edema and permanent neurological damage, along with chemical pneumonitis affecting the lungs. "The damage has already been done, it is not reversible," the doctor can be heard saying, indicating the severity of the injury.

The medical explanation suggests the brain inflammation was caused by a "chemical burn" from inhalation, warning of potential permanent neurological consequences. The brain tissue has suffered loss, impacting its functions, and the patient remains in critical condition.

Osuna Vázquez's niece, Yetzel Ozuna, recounted that her uncle began experiencing symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and general malaise the day after the derailment. He was initially treated in Cananea but his condition worsened, leading to his hospitalization and transfer to Nogales on July 31. During the transfer, he reportedly lost his ability to focus his gaze, hear, and speak.