A fire broke out at a discount store in Mexico, killing at least 23 people and injuring 11, local officials said.
Last Saturday, a fire broke out at a branch of Waldo’s, Mexico’s largest discount chain, in the northwest city center of Hermosillo.
Several local authorities described the incident as an explosion, but regional governor Alfonso Durazo said the exact cause was not yet known. The Sonora State Public Security Secretariat said it had ruled out the possibility that this incident was an attack on civilians or an intentional act of violence.
Among the victims were children, and a 15-year-old girl was among those taken to the hospital, officials said.
Photos from the scene show thick black smoke rising from the building, and the fire appears to have spread to cars parked in front of the store.
After the fire was extinguished, scorch marks could be seen oozing from the doors and windows of the store, one of which appears to have been completely destroyed. The car right in front of this window was completely burned down.
“To the families who have lost loved ones… I share your pain and offer you my complete solidarity,” Durazo said in a video address.
He added that a ‘special, transparent and thorough’ investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the incident and identify those responsible.
Sonora state Attorney General Gustavo Salas Chávez told reporters Sunday morning that most of those killed were due to “exposure to toxic gases.”
“There is no indication that the fire was started intentionally,” he said, but “an investigation into the cause cannot be ruled out.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on social media, “I offer my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.”
Waldo’s stores are a common sight in Mexico’s main streets, with hundreds of stores located throughout the country.
The fire comes on the weekend that Mexico celebrates the Day of the Dead, where people hold festivities to honor their deceased loved ones.
The state government said it was canceling cultural events scheduled for Sunday following the incident.
