CUERNAVACA, Morelos — At least one person died, and two others were injured following a powerful explosion at a fireworks storage facility in the neighborhood of Ocotepec, located in northern Cuernavaca, Morelos.
The blast occurred on Wednesday afternoon, sending a thick column of gray smoke into the sky and sounding alarms across the community. According to Ubaldo González, the Civil Protection coordinator for Morelos, the force of the detonation reduced the facility to ashes and rubble.
Emergency personnel—including members of the Secretariat of Protection and Citizen Assistance of Cuernavaca, municipal firefighters, the Red Cross, the National Guard, and the Secretariat of National Defense—mobilized to the scene to secure the area and contain ongoing hazards. First responders treated approximately 10 residents on site for severe panic attacks triggered by the sudden blast.
State authorities confirmed that a woman died at the scene. Two additional victims were rushed to regional hospitals for emergency care: a 19-year-old young man who suffered a traumatic brain injury caused by a collapsing wall and concrete slab, and a minor who received treatment for burn injuries.
Local civil protection officials urged the public to stay clear of the incident area to facilitate unhindered access for emergency vehicles. Authorities have initiated an official investigation to determine the precise cause of the ignition and assess whether the establishment held valid operating permits and adhered to safety regulations for storing volatile pyrotechnic materials.
Accidents involving fireworks manufacturing and storage remain a persistent hazard in several regions of Mexico due to the volatile nature of black powder. State and municipal agencies continue to coordinate debris clearance, inspect neighboring structures for structural damage, and implement safety protocols to protect the local population.
Source: El Pais
