A fire broke out at a discount store in Hermosillo, located in Sonora, Mexico, killing at least 23 people and injuring about a dozen people, officials said.
"Sadly a number of the victims we’ve found were minors,” Alfonso Durazo, Governor of Sonora, said in a video message on X confirming the death toll.
This tragedy comes amid Mexico's Day of the Dead celebrations taking place this weekend, in which families take part in festivities that honour their deceased loved ones.
"I have instructed all state government agencies to provide comprehensive support, including medical, psychological, and social assistance," Durazo added in the video message, adding that an investigation was launched to determine the cause of the tragedy.
After various officials ruled out an arson attack or violence as possible causes for the event, the Sonora Attorney General's Office said in a statement that the cause of the explosion could have been an electrical failure.
The statement added that the authorities were investigating a transformer located inside the commercial establishment.
Firefighters are currently removing debris inside the store. The authorities have said that once this process is over, and the area is deemed safe, experts will be brought in to probe the cause of the explosion further.
(This is a developing story. More details are awaited.)
