Explosion and fire at convenience store kill at least 23 in northern Mexico

A fire and explosion at a convenience store in northern Mexico on Saturday killed at least 23 people, including children, and injured 12 others, local officials said.

The fire occurred in the center of Hermosillo, capital of the state of Sonora, Governor Alfonso Durazo said in a video posted on social media.

“Unfortunately, several of the victims we found were minors,” he said, adding that the injured were taken to local hospitals in Hermosillo.

“I have ordered a broad and transparent investigation to determine the causes of the incident and identify those responsible,” Durazo said.

Sonora Attorney General Gustavo Salas Chávez said preliminary investigations showed the deaths were caused by “inhalation of toxic gases,” the News reported.

“At this time, we do not have any indication that would lead us to assume that the fire was intentional,” he said, noting that authorities had not ruled out any line of investigation.

Images circulating on social media show a massive fire engulfing the Waldo’s store. A video showed a burned man collapsing on the asphalt a few meters from the store entrance.

“No one will face this pain alone. From the first moments, the emergency, security and health services responded with great professionalism and commitment, controlling the situation and saving lives,” said Durazo.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences on social media “to the families and loved ones of those who died.”

“I have been in contact with the governor of Sonora, Alfonso Durazo, to provide support where necessary. I have instructed the Secretary of the Interior, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, to send a support team to help the families and the injured,” he continued.

Mexican media reports said customers sought shelter inside the store after the explosion, only to be trapped by flames.

The newspaper El Universal reported that the explosion occurred around 2:00 p.m. and that nearby businesses chose to close their doors to prevent the fire from spreading there.

Local authorities urged the public to avoid the area of ​​the explosion and canceled celebrations scheduled for that day in honor of the Day of the Dead holiday.