At least 23 people, including several children, have been killed after a powerful explosion tore through a supermarket in the northern Mexican state of Sonora. Local officials said 11 others were injured in the blast, which struck the Waldo’s store in Hermosillo on Saturday afternoon.
Authorities believe the explosion was accidental. The state prosecutor’s office said early investigations point to a transformer inside the building as a possible cause. Officials have ruled out any link to criminal activity or a targeted attack.
“The working assumption is that the incident was accidental,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement, adding that forensic experts were continuing to examine the scene.
Sonora’s governor, Alfonso Durazo, confirmed that several of the victims were minors and vowed a thorough investigation. “I have ordered an extensive and transparent inquiry to determine what caused this tragedy and identify those responsible,” he said in a video message. “Nobody will face this pain alone. Emergency, security, and health services responded with great professionalism and commitment, saving lives and containing the situation.”
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, expressed her condolences to the families of the victims and said the federal government was coordinating with local authorities to provide assistance. “I’ve instructed Interior Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez to send a support team to assist the families and the injured,” she said.
Images shared by local media showed the front of the supermarket blackened by smoke and flames, its windows shattered and debris scattered across the street. Nearby shops reportedly closed quickly to prevent the fire from spreading further.
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Witnesses described scenes of chaos as shoppers and employees fled the store moments after the explosion. Firefighters and rescue workers battled the blaze for hours before bringing it under control.
The explosion occurred as Mexico marked the Day of the Dead, a national holiday when families gather to honour deceased loved ones. What should have been a weekend of remembrance and celebration instead turned into one of mourning for Hermosillo’s residents — a community now reeling from one of its deadliest tragedies in recent years.