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2d ago

Fireworks Explosion Kills 10 During Village Patron Saint Festival

Authorities opened a criminal investigation after video and witnesses said a burning straw 'bull' may have ignited stored fireworks at the church.

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Areal view of the area destroyed by a fireworks explosion by the Santa María Canchesdá church in Temascalcingo, Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramses Mercado)
Residents look at the area destroyed by a fireworks explosion by Santa María Canchesdá church in Temascalcingo, Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramses Mercado)
Mexico State police inspect the area destroyed by a fireworks explosion by the Santa María Canchesdá church in Temascalcingo, Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramses Mercado)

Overview

  • Rescue teams responded after a pyrotechnic blast struck Santa María Canchesdá in Temascalcingo, which local reports say happened late on Saturday during preparations for the patron saint festival.
  • Local officials confirmed at least 10 people were killed and about 60 to 64 were injured, and the diocese said two priests were injured but expected to survive.
  • Video and witness accounts show revellers carrying a straw 'bull' effigy with fireworks that caught fire and appears to have ignited a larger supply of fireworks, but Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office has not yet determined the official cause.
  • The explosion knocked down walls, started a fire in the town square and left some people trapped under debris, prompting ongoing search-and-extraction operations by emergency crews.
  • The blast echoes past deadly fireworks accidents in Mexico and is likely to intensify calls for stricter oversight of festival pyrotechnics and safer storage practices in small towns.