Fireworks explosion leaves injured during a religious festival in Mexico

The explosion occurred next to the Nuestra Señora de la Luz Church in Temascalcingo, a municipality located in central Mexico with a population of 66,000 people, and hundreds of them were preparing to watch a fireworks display as part of a religious festival when the explosion occurred.

A local bishop reported that two priests were among those injured.

Rescue and firefighting crews rushed to the site to remove the rubble and extricate those trapped under the rubble, while large numbers of wounded were transferred to nearby hospitals to receive treatment, while the security and judicial authorities began immediate investigations to uncover the circumstances of the accident and hold those responsible accountable.

A video clip circulating on social media shows the effects of the explosion, with dozens of people walking through smoke and debris searching for survivors.

Fireworks explosions are common in Mexico, where they are widely used in popular celebrations and religious festivals. About four years ago, a powerful explosion of fireworks in a village in the municipality of Huijutla, in the state of Hidalgo in the center of the country, resulted in 17 people being injured.