23 people killed, more injured in dollar store fire in Mexico
An explosion at a dollar store in Mexico killed 23 people, including children, and injured more than a dozen others.
An explosion at a dollar store in northwestern Mexico on Nov. 1 killed 23 people, including children, and injured more than a dozen more during the country’s lively Day of the Dead celebrations, officials and authorities said.
Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo said in a video on social media that the explosion that turned into a fire occurred in downtown Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora state near the country’s west coast.
The cause of the fire and explosion was not immediately clear. Officials said the fire broke out at a Waldo’s store, a popular Mexican discount chain. Durazo said in a social media post that he had ordered a “thorough and transparent investigation” into the explosion.
“Today is a sad day for the state of Sonora, especially for the families who lost their loved ones at the Waldo’s store in Hermosillo,” Durazo said in the post. “I respectfully participate in this expression of solidarity with them and the community as a whole.”
Sonora state Attorney General Gustavo Salas said evidence from the forensic team showed that the death appeared to be the result of inhalation of toxic gases. He said there was no evidence to suggest the fire was the result of an attack.
“The working hypothesis is that this incident was coincidental and the investigation concerns a transformer located within a commercial facility,” his office said in a statement.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Prado said in a post about X that she expressed condolences to the families of the victims and directed the government to provide aid to the region.
The Sonora Red Cross said 40 staff members and 10 ambulances participated in the effort, making six trips to the hospital.
The fire occurred during Mexico’s celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a holiday to remember loved ones who have died.
Contributed by: Reuters
