Explosion in Acapulco’s main square injures 9

The Pacific coast resort city of Acapulco was rocked by an explosion on Sunday afternoon that injured at least nine people. Emergency personnel and security forces rushed to the scene to attend to the injured and collect evidence.

The incident took place in the Plaza Álvarez, the main square in old town Acapulco. Witnesses said they heard two detonations near the small fairgrounds set up opposite the cathedral.

Police and National Guard personnel revised their initial report of four casualties to nine, as they widened their search for victims.

A few hours after the explosion, local authorities issued a bulletin dismissing reports of a second incident at Acapulco’s Symphony of the Sea Amphitheater a mile to the west of Plaza Álvarez.

Authorities on Monday confirmed that the number of casualties was nine, but released little information about the status of the victims, including a baby whose condition was not disclosed. One of the wounded, a 23-year-old woman who had suffered first-degree burns on her lower back, was described as in stable condition.

The Guerrero Attorney General’s Office issued a press bulletin early Monday announcing that it had begun an investigation.

The armed forces arrived to help secure the area and participate in the investigation. The Guerrero state government declared an emergency Sunday night as local, state and federal authorities coordinated the response to the explosion. The state government also sought to assure Acapulco residents and tourists in a statement on social media that it was doing everything in its power to guarantee security and resolve the situation.

As of Monday afternoon, the authorities had yet to reveal the cause of the explosion. According to the news site López-Dóriga Digital, local media speculated that the explosion was caused by a Molotov cocktail, echoing fears related to a wave of violence the resort city experienced in May.

The Plaza Álvarez, formerly the Plaza de Armas, sits in the Historic Center of Acapulco on the western end of the city, just off the main tourist strip. The Our Lady of Solitude Cathedral dominates the northern side of the plaza, which features five fountains and a band kiosk.

With reports from Aristegui Noticias, Infobae and López-Dóriga Digital