At least 26 people have died and 70 have been injured after a massive explosion rocked Mexico’s biggest fireworks market on Tuesday. The accident is the latest in a series of fatal explosions and industrial accidents that have roiled Mexico’s oil, gas and petrochemical industries.
Police officer walks through the remains of houses destroyed in an explosion (Photo: Reuters: /Edgard Garrido)
Set in the suburb of Tultepec, the conflagration set off a quickfire series of multicoloured blasts. The market was packed with customers buying when the explosion took place.
“We recovered 26 bodies at the scene of the incident,” Mexico state prosecutor Alejandro Gomez said.
Fire crews had to struggle for over three hours before the blaze could be tamed. There has bee widespread damage due to the blast. “The entire market is gone,” head of the civil protection service Luis Felipe Puente said.
Search is on to look for any more casualties around the area. The military has also been deployed to help emergency crews in transporting casualties to hospitals.
Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted his condolences to the families of those killed.
