A terrible tragedy shook central Mexico after a detonation at a warehouse for pyrotechnic materials marred a traditional religious festival. The incident, which occurred on Saturday evening, September 5, 2026, killed at least 10 people and seriously injured 64 others, world agencies reported.
The incident occurred in the community of Santa Maria Canchesda, located in the municipality of Temascalcingo (state of Mexico), about 160 kilometers northwest of the capital, Mexico City. Hundreds of believers were gathered in and around the church “Nuestra Señora de la Luz“ (Nuestra Señora de la Luz) for celebrations in honor of the local patron saint, when fireworks stored for the festive show unexpectedly exploded.
According to information disseminated by the American television channel (cnn.com), the blast wave was so powerful that it caused the roof and an adjacent wall of the church building to partially collapse. Many of those present were trapped under the debris. The local bishop confirmed that two priests were among the injured, and according to data from regional health services, cited in international media reports (abcnews.com), small children were also admitted to hospitals.
Eight of the victims died on the spot as a result of their injuries, and two others died later in hospitals. Red Cross teams, firefighters, soldiers and the National Guard were immediately dispatched to the scene, and an immediate rescue operation was launched to extract the trapped people. Specialists from the Institute of Pyrotechnics of the State of Mexico were also mobilized to secure the area and neutralize the remaining explosives.
The Attorney General's Office of the State of Mexico has already launched an official investigation to determine the exact causes of the detonation. Pyrotechnic incidents are relatively common in the country, where fireworks are widely used during street parades, public events and religious festivals without always following strict safety measures.