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Mexico’s Federal Prosecutor to Investigate Fire That Gutted Food Program Warehouses in Zacatecas

The move signals concern for Mexico’s subsidized food network as authorities assess damage and secure alternate supply routes.

Overview

  • The fire that tore through Alimentación para el Bienestar’s Zacatecas hub Tuesday left 16 warehouses over more than three hectares destroyed.
  • Fire crews from Zacatecas, Guadalupe, Jerez, Calera, Fresnillo, Trancoso and Colotlán worked for hours, evacuating about 20 people and removing roughly 17 vehicles as a nearby gas station shut down as a precaution.
  • Intense heat caused part of the metal structure to collapse after four forklift gas tank blasts, and three emergency workers received medical treatment.
  • President Claudia Sheinbaum said the national prosecutor’s office will lead the probe, with forensic teams assessing whether tire burning at a farmers’ protest sparked the blaze or if it was set on purpose.
  • Alimentación para el Bienestar and Leche para el Bienestar said they would file criminal complaints and launched contingency routes to keep stores supplied after reported losses of more than 6 million pesos in food and about 4.3 million pesos in powdered milk.