At least 10 people were killed and 82 wounded after an unknown quantity of fireworks detonated during a celebration for a patron saint in the town of Santa María Canchesdá, in the municipality of Temascalcingo, México state.
Local authorities said the explosion occurred at around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday night in the vicinity of the Nuestra Señora de la Luz (Our Lady of Light) church. Temascalcingo, a municipality of 66,000 residents, is located around 160 kilometers northwest of Mexico City.
Videos shared online show festival attendees carrying a straw bull, with fireworks shooting from the effigy. Shortly after, additional fireworks being stored next to the church ignited, which caused a roof and a nearby wall to collapse, burying several people in the rubble.
“It is with profound sorrow that I received the news of what happened in Santa María Canchesdá, Temascalcingo,” México state native and president of the Senate, Higinio Martínez Miranda, announced on social media.
“I contacted the mayor to reiterate my full support and offer my assistance… My solidarity and most sincere condolences go out to the families who are facing the loss of their loved ones. To those who were injured, I wish a speedy recovery.” Governor Delfina Gómez also communicated her condolences.
Hundreds of people from over 40 nearby communities were preparing to watch the fireworks display as part of the annual religious festival when the explosion occurred.
Civil Protection authorities, firefighters, state police and paramedics were quickly mobilized and continued recovering bodies from the debris and working to remove the collapsed structures until the early hours of Sunday morning.
Two priests were injured but are expected to survive, according to the diocese of the nearby municipality of Atlacomulco. Of the 82 total people treated, 62 have already been discharged, eight remain hospitalized and 11 have been referred to other medical facilities.
The state Attorney General’s Office has initiated an investigation into the cause of the accident.
This is not the first time that the storage of fireworks has turned deadly in Mexico. In 2016, an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Tultepec, México state, killed 42 people.
With reports from Al Jazeera, CNN, NMás, Sol de México and Quadratín México
