At least 10 killed in central Mexico fireworks blast during festival

What the report says

At least 10 people were killed and at least 60 others were wounded after fireworks exploded during a village festival in central Mexico, according to local government cited by Al Jazeera. The blast took place on Saturday in Santa Maria Canchesda, in the Temascalcingo municipality, while residents were celebrating a local ritual. Video and reporting from AFP described revellers carrying a straw bull effigy with fireworks attached, a traditional spectacle that appears to have gone wrong.

Al Jazeera reported that the burning bull may have ignited a larger stock of fireworks kept in a village church. The explosion reportedly brought down walls and started a fire in the town square, with local media saying some people were trapped beneath debris. The nearby diocese of Atlacomulco said two priests were injured but expected to survive, and expressed condolences for the dead, wounded and their families.

Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office said the cause has not yet been determined and that an investigation has opened. The incident highlights the recurring dangers of fireworks use in public celebrations in Mexico. Al Jazeera noted that similar accidents have caused heavy loss of life in past years, including fatal explosions at a fireworks factory and at a market.