Overview
- A pyrotechnic blast struck during a patron‑saint festival in Santa María Canchesdá when a straw 'bull' effigy fitted with fireworks apparently ignited a larger stockpile, killing at least 10 people and injuring 64.
- The explosion occurred near the Nuestra Señora de la Luz church and caused walls and parts of nearby buildings to collapse, leaving some people trapped under debris before rescue teams extracted victims.
- State authorities set up an Incident Command System and deployed IMEPI pyrotechnics specialists, the National Guard, medical teams and local fire crews to secure active fireworks and carry out rescue and risk‑control work.
- Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office has opened an investigation but officials have not yet determined the precise cause or whether safety or storage violations contributed to the blast.
- The accident highlights a recurring safety risk in Mexico where fireworks are commonly used at street and religious events and could prompt tighter controls on how pyrotechnics are stored and handled at public celebrations.