A deadly fire has ripped through a store in the center of the city of Hermosillo, Mexico, killing at least 23 people and injuring dozens more, Reuters reports.
Mexico is celebrating the Day of the Dead this weekend with festivities during which families pay tribute and remember deceased loved ones.
"I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation to clarify the causes of the accident," Alfonso Durazo, governor of the state of Sonora, whose capital was the fire, said in a video message on social media, adding that children were among the victims.
Most of the deaths, according to state prosecutor Gustavo Salas, who cited the findings of the forensic service, occurred due to inhalation of toxic gases.
"I express my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives," Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a post on the X network, adding that she had ordered the dispatch of support teams to help the families of the victims and the injured.
The Sonora Red Cross said 40 of its staff members and 10 ambulances participated in the operation, making six transports to the hospital, Reuters reports.
The cause of the fire, which has now been extinguished, remains unknown, although some media outlets have suggested it may have been an electrical fault. City officials said the store, part of the popular discount chain Valdo's, was not the target of the attack.
The city's fire chief said they were still investigating whether there had been an explosion.
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