No fewer than 23 persons have been killed and several others injured as explosion hit northwestern Mexican city of Hermosillo, casting a shadow over the nation’s annual Day of the Dead festivities.
According to local media reports, the tragedy occurred on Saturday evening when families gathered in the city center to commemorate the cultural holiday, which is observed across Mexico to honour and remember departed loved ones.
The fire reportedly broke out at a popular discount store located near the celebration area.
Governor of Sonora State, Alfonso Durazo, confirmed the incident and ordered an immediate and transparent investigation to determine the cause of the explosion.
He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, noting that children were among the victims.
The state’s Attorney General, Gustavo Salas, said preliminary findings suggest that most fatalities were due to the inhalation of toxic fumes rather than burns.
Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, extended her condolences to the affected families and directed federal agencies to provide assistance to survivors and relatives of the deceased.
“My heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” Sheinbaum wrote in a post on X, adding that emergency support and counseling teams had been dispatched to Hermosillo.
The Sonora Red Cross reported deploying more than 40 personnel and 10 ambulances to the scene, making multiple trips to hospitals to transport victims and provide on-site medical care.
Although the blaze has been extinguished, the cause remains under investigation.
Some local outlets have linked the explosion to a possible electrical malfunction.
City authorities, however, clarified that the store, believed to be part of the Waldo’s discount chain, was not the target of any deliberate attack.
