What happened

Costa Rica's state oil refining and distribution company RECOPE reported on the night of 16 September 2018 that approximately 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel had spilled from its pipeline near the Dos Pinos factory in El Coyol, Alajuela, discovered around 21:10 local time. The Costa Rica Fire Department responded to the spill, and transit police closed Route 1, the major highway connecting San José and Alajuela, during the cleanup due to fire-hazard risk from fuel reaching the roadway. RECOPE's then-Executive President Alejandro Muñoz said the damage to the pipeline was 'a sabotage, premeditated, and not just any person can do this,' pointing to three drilled holes found in the line as evidence of intentional, technically skilled tampering. No injuries to civilians were reported. The incident occurred amid a period of broader tension around RECOPE's operations, with the company's employees facing threats and vehicle vandalism and fuel tanker trucks blocked by protesters at some facilities, disrupting distribution even though RECOPE said its overall fuel supplies remained adequate. No perpetrator was identified or prosecuted in the sources reviewed.

When cited sources give different casualty, damage or spill figures for this event, they’re reported side by side above rather than merged into one number. See how confidence levels work.