A fireworks explosion at a patron saint festival in Temascalcingo, in the north of the State of Mexico, left at least 10 people dead and more than 60 injured on Saturday night, according to the authorities.
Footage filmed on Sunday shows cordoned-off fairground rides affected by the incident, as well as relatives of the injured waiting for news of their loved ones outside the General Hospital of Atlacomulco.
The accident occurred while residents were taking part in the celebrations ahead of the feast in honour of Our Lady of the Light at the parish of the same name. According to official reports, pyrotechnic material stored in a room adjoining the church detonated at around 21:00 (local time) and caused part of the religious structure to collapse.
“It is believed they had stored pyrotechnic products. We do not know who they belonged to. Often it is like this: they buy them or they are donations from the people themselves for the patronal feast. So we think the explosion was there. We do not know the cause,” said Jose Humberto Sanchez Hernandez, Municipal Coordinator of Temascalcingo.
The blast reached people in the vicinity. The collapse left several attendees trapped under the rubble, which prompted a large emergency operation. Civil Protection teams, firefighters, police and medical services attended the scene.
Jose Maria, who was at the scene at the time of the explosion, recounted the moments of confusion he experienced with his family.
“The explosion went off. At that moment it was a disaster, a disaster. What we did, at least what I did, my wife, was look for our children and start running this way right then. We really did not know what to do,” the witness said.
The injured were taken to the General Hospital of Atlacomulco; the IMSS-Bienestar Hospital in Temascalcingo; the General Hospital of San Felipe del Progreso; and Nicolas San Juan Hospital, in Toluca; as well as private hospitals in Atlacomulco.
While the number of injured has been updated at different times, 64 people have so far been counted, including two priests, according to the Diocese of Atlacomulco.
The authorities are continuing investigations to establish the circumstances in which the pyrotechnic material was stored and to determine possible responsibilities for the accident.
The use of fireworks is part of numerous religious and popular celebrations in Mexico, particularly during patronal festivals. However, accidents related to the handling or storage of pyrotechnics have caused numerous casualties in different regions of the country.
For her part, the governor of the State of Mexico, Delfina Gomez Alvarez, expressed solidarity with the victims of the explosion via her social media.
Source: Viory
