CHILDREN were among 23 people killed after an explosion and fire tore through supermarket in Mexico.
The blaze hit a Waldo’s discount store in the northwestern town of Hermosillo as the country marked the Day of the Dead.
A blast ripped through the downtown store around 3pm local time on Saturday, sending thick black smoke billowing over the city as terrified shoppers fled.
Footage posted online showed flames engulfing the building, frantic evacuations, and firefighters battling the blaze amid charred cars and a soot-covered façade.
Authorities said the fire destroyed the store and damaged nearby buildings.
At least 12 people were injured, many in serious condition.
Sonora’s governor, Alfonso Durazo, confirmed that children and two pregnant women were among the victims.
Durazo said in a statement: “I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation to clarify the causes of the accident,”
He added that emergency crews and hospitals were working around the clock to treat survivors.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed condolences on social media, writing: “My heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.”
She said she had dispatched federal teams to assist victims’ families.
Gustavo Salas, Sonora’s attorney general, said most of the deaths appeared to have been caused by inhalation of toxic gases.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, though local media cited possible electrical failure.
The state’s Public Security department ruled out any attack, saying the fire appeared accidental.
Rescue teams from the Red Cross and local fire departments worked for hours to contain the blaze, which took hold as shoppers packed the store ahead of the holiday weekend.
The Red Cross said more than 40 staff and 10 ambulances responded, making multiple trips to nearby hospitals.
By nightfall, the store’s façade was a blackened shell, with investigators sifting through the debris for clues.
The tragedy struck as millions across Mexico celebrated the Day of the Dead, a colourful national holiday honouring deceased loved ones.
It is the worst fire disaster in Hermosillo since 2009, when a blaze at a day care centre killed 49 children and triggered national outrage over safety violations.
The tragedy follows another deadly fire in Mexico just weeks earlier, when a tanker truck carrying liquefied petroleum gas exploded in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa borough.
That September blast killed more than 30 people and injured dozens, prompting the government to tighten restrictions on hazardous cargo transport in urban areas.
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