Fireworks Explosion at Mexican Festival Kills at Least 10, Injures 64

Pyrotechnic material exploded during a patron saint festival in Temascalcingo, Mexico State, collapsing a wall, killing at least 10 people and injuring 64 others, Mexican authorities said. The blast occurred Saturday night next to the Nuestra Señora de la Luz church.

Hundreds of residents were preparing to watch a fireworks display for the religious festival when the blast took place. Temascalcingo is a municipality in central Mexico with 66,000 residents, located about 160 kilometers northwest of Mexico City. A local bishop reported that two priests were among those injured, and social media video showed smoke and debris as people searched for survivors.

The cause of the explosion has not been determined, and the Mexico State Attorney General's Office has launched an investigation. Pyrotechnic explosions are frequent in Mexico, where fireworks are routinely used in street celebrations and religious events. Almost four years ago, a fireworks explosion in a village in the municipality of Huejutla, Hidalgo state, left 17 people injured.