A 68-year-old man was killed and his 11-year-old son seriously injured Thursday after a three-wheel bike they were riding in a religious parade exploded in Macuspana, Tabasco. 

The two were traveling behind a pickup truck bearing religious icons and playing music as part of a procession honoring a revered religious figure in the area, the Lord of Tila, a Christlike figure that has been revered in southeast Mexico since 1539 when his image first appeared in Chiapas. 

The man was setting off fireworks when what appeared to be a bottle rocket fell back into the trike, causing a violent explosion.

The blast, which was recorded on video by the municipality’s Civil Protection office and which is circulating on social media, blew off the man’s leg and severely burned his son. Both were transported to the hospital where the man later died. 

Fortunately, the crowds that often accumulate around such religious processions were sparse due to the coronavirus restrictions and no other casualties were reported.

Source: El Universal (sp), Razón (sp), El Heraldo de Tabasco (sp)