23 killed in explosion and fire at convenience store in Mexico

At least 23 people were killed and 15 others were injured after an explosion and fire tore through a convenience store in northwestern Mexico, according to officials.

The incident occurred on Saturday at a Waldo’s store in downtown Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora state. Preliminary reports indicate the fire started after an explosion that rapidly spread through the building.

The state prosecutor’s office confirmed that 23 people were killed and 15 others were injured, including several who remain hospitalized. Most of the victims died from inhaling toxic gases.

The victims include 12 women, five men, four boys, and two girls, according to officials.

Relatives have shared emotional tributes on social media, among them the husband of a pregnant woman who died alongside her mother and younger brother in the incident.

Authorities have interviewed witnesses and employees, whose accounts largely indicate that an explosion occurred inside the store, though the exact cause remains under investigation. Officials said there is no indication that the explosion was intentional.

Waldo’s, a Mexican retail chain similar to a dollar store, said it was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy and is cooperating with authorities to determine the cause of the incident. The company said it is maintaining close communication with local officials and providing support to the families of the victims.

Hermosillo, located about 170 miles (270 kilometers) south of the U.S. border at Nogales, has been the site of other major tragedies, including a 2009 fire at the ABC daycare center that killed 49 children and injured dozens more, one of the deadliest such incidents in Mexico’s history.