Fireworks explosion at Mexican church festival kills at least 10, injures 64

A pyrotechnic explosion during a religious festival in central Mexico has left at least 10 people dead and 64 injured after a wall collapsed in the blast, authorities announced.

The explosion occurred next to the Nuestra Senora de la Luz church in Temascalcingo, a municipality in central Mexico with 66,000 residents. Hundreds of people had gathered to watch a fireworks display that forms part of the festival for a patron saint when the pyrotechnic material exploded.

Investigation launched

The Mexico State Attorney General's Office has opened an investigation into the incident, though the cause of the explosion has not yet been determined. Temascalcingo is located approximately 160km northwest of Mexico City.

Two priests are among those injured, according to a local bishop. Video circulating on social media shows dozens of people moving through smoke and debris as they searched for survivors in the aftermath.

Fireworks displays are common features of religious festivals across Mexico, where pyrotechnic traditions remain deeply embedded in local celebrations. The collapse of a wall during the explosion suggests the force of the blast was substantial, though authorities have not released further details about the extent of structural damage or the conditions of the injured.

The incident occurred during what was meant to be a festive gathering for the community, transforming a celebration into one of the deadliest accidents involving fireworks in recent Mexican history.

Source: South China Morning Post