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Mexico Church Fireworks Explosion Kills At Least 10; Dozens Injured
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
TEMASCALCINGO, MEXICO (Worthy News) – At least 10 people have been killed and 64 injured, including children and two priests, after stored fireworks exploded during a Catholic festival in central Mexico, officials said.
The explosion happened Saturday evening as hundreds of people gathered near a church in Santa María Canchesdá, a community in the municipality of Temascalcingo, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Mexico City.
Festivities at the parish centered on the Virgin Mary under the Catholic title Our Lady of Light.
Authorities said pyrotechnic material stored in an area used as a warehouse at the parish exploded while worshippers and other visitors gathered for the celebrations. The cause of the explosion remained under investigation.
DEADLY EXPLOSION
Saturday’s blast caused part of the structure to collapse, sending debris onto people and complicating efforts to reach victims.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as people tried to escape through smoke and debris while others searched for survivors.
At least 64 people received hospital treatment for injuries including burns and wounds caused by falling debris, authorities said. Several seriously injured victims required transfers to hospitals elsewhere in the region.
Children were among those caught in the explosion, with local reports identifying minors among both the dead and injured.
PRIESTS INJURED
Two Catholic priests, Fernando Chávez Cruz and Javier Sánchez Montes, suffered injuries in the explosion, according to the Catholic Diocese of Atlacomulco.
The diocese said both priests received medical treatment and remained out of danger.
Emergency workers, firefighters, the Red Cross, police, Mexico’s National Guard and military personnel joined rescue and recovery operations.
Bishop Adolfo Miguel Castaño Fonseca of the Diocese of Atlacomulco expressed sorrow over the tragedy and solidarity with the victims and their relatives.
CHURCH MOURNS
The diocese called on Catholics to pray for those affected by the explosion as the community mourned the victims.
The tragedy struck a country where the Catholic Church remains deeply rooted in society. Mexico’s 2020 census found that nearly 98 million people, or 77.7 percent of the population, identified as Catholic, making it by far the nation’s largest religious denomination.
Fireworks feature prominently during Catholic and other religious and community festivals across Mexico, where pyrotechnic explosions have caused numerous casualties over the years.
The tragedy comes against the backdrop of nearly two decades of violence involving powerful drug cartels. Mexico’s security crisis intensified after the government deployed the military against organized crime in 2006.
YEARS OF VIOLENCE
More than 130,000 people have been reported missing or disappeared in Mexico since 2006, while hundreds of thousands have been killed during years of cartel-related violence and the government’s campaign against organized crime.
Mexican drug cartels have increasingly used explosives, including car bombs, explosive-laden drones and improvised explosive devices, in fighting with rivals and attacks on authorities.
However, authorities have given no indication that Saturday’s church explosion was connected to organized crime.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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