Overview
- Emergency services contained the blaze at a Waldo’s in downtown Hermosillo on Saturday afternoon, securing the area at Doctor Noriega and Matamoros for continued search and cooling operations.
- Preliminary counts from responders cite about 22 fatalities and at least 12 injured people transported to hospitals, with reports indicating several minors among the victims.
- The Sonora Public Security Secretariat stated the event was not an intentional act against civilians, and the area remains cordoned off for safety and investigation.
- Investigators are weighing two leading hypotheses for the origin of the explosion: a vehicle blast outside the store or an internal electrical or system failure, with the state prosecutor’s office to issue the official determination.
- State and local officials offered condolences and pledged support for victims, and cultural Day of the Dead events in Hermosillo were suspended as the Red Cross and firefighters maintained a multi-agency response.