Blaze at Mexico store kills 23, including children

The holiday weekend in northwestern Mexico took a tragic turn for families in northwestern Mexico when a deadly fire engulfed a discount store, killing at least 23 people and injuring a dozen others.

Mexico is celebrating the Day of the Dead this weekend with colorful festivities where families honor and commemorate their deceased loved ones.

“I have ordered a comprehensive and transparent investigation to clarify the causes of the accident,” Alfonso Durazo, governor of Sonora state, home to the city, said in a video on social media on Saturday. he said, adding that there were children among the victims.

Most of the deaths were caused by inhaling toxic gases, the state’s attorney general, Gustavo Salas, said, citing the coroner’s service.

“I offer my sincerest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said in her post on X, adding that she directed support teams to be sent to assist the families of the victims and the injured.

The Sonora Red Cross said 40 staff members and 10 ambulances participated in the effort and made six visits to the hospital.

Although the cause of the now extinguished fire is still unclear, some media outlets blamed the power outage. City officials said the store, which is part of the popular discount chain Waldo’s, was not the target of an attack.

The city’s fire chief said it was still being investigated whether there was an explosion.