A deadly blaze ripped through a packed discount store in Hermosillo during Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations, leaving 23 dead and dozens injured.
What began as a weekend of remembrance and color ended in devastation Saturday, as a massive blaze tore through a Waldo’s discount store in the heart of Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora, Mexico, killing at least 23 people — including children — and injuring more than a dozen others.
Families were out celebrating Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Mexico’s iconic festival honoring departed loved ones, when the deadly inferno struck, turning a bustling shopping district into a scene of horror.
Authorities said toxic gas inhalation caused most of the fatalities. “The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but preliminary evidence suggests an electrical failure,” confirmed Gustavo Salas, Sonora’s Attorney General.
Governor Alfonso Durazo called the tragedy “unbearable” and promised a “thorough and transparent investigation” into the fire’s cause. “Children were among the victims,” Durazo said in a somber address posted to social media.
President Claudia Sheinbaum extended her condolences and ordered immediate federal assistance for victims’ families and survivors. “My heart goes out to all those who lost loved ones,” she wrote on X, vowing full support for the rescue and recovery operation.
The Sonora Red Cross dispatched 40 emergency responders and 10 ambulances, making multiple hospital runs as firefighters battled flames that consumed the building.
Officials stressed there was no evidence of foul play or attack, but investigators are examining reports of a possible explosion before the fire spread.
While Mexico mourns its dead on a sacred national holiday, the Hermosillo blaze stands as a searing reminder of how fragile life can be — even amid celebrations of remembrance.What began as a weekend of remembrance and color ended in devastation Saturday, as a massive blaze tore through a Waldo’s discount store in the heart of Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora, Mexico, killing at least 23 people — including children — and injuring more than a dozen others.
Families were out celebrating Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Mexico’s iconic festival honoring departed loved ones, when the deadly inferno struck, turning a bustling shopping district into a scene of horror.
Authorities said toxic gas inhalation caused most of the fatalities. “The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but preliminary evidence suggests an electrical failure,” confirmed Gustavo Salas, Sonora’s Attorney General.
Governor Alfonso Durazo called the tragedy “unbearable” and promised a “thorough and transparent investigation” into the fire’s cause. “Children were among the victims,” Durazo said in a somber address posted to social media.
President Claudia Sheinbaum extended her condolences and ordered immediate federal assistance for victims’ families and survivors. “My heart goes out to all those who lost loved ones,” she wrote on X, vowing full support for the rescue and recovery operation.
The Sonora Red Cross dispatched 40 emergency responders and 10 ambulances, making multiple hospital runs as firefighters battled flames that consumed the building.
Officials stressed there was no evidence of foul play or attack, but investigators are examining reports of a possible explosion before the fire spread.
While Mexico mourns its dead on a sacred national holiday, the Hermosillo blaze stands as a searing reminder of how fragile life can be — even amid celebrations of remembrance.
