6 Killed in fireworks blast in Mexico
Puebla, Mexico, Dec 7 (EFE).- An explosion at a clandestine fireworks factory in the central Mexican town of Santiago Tenango left six people dead and 18 others injured, the Puebla state government said Tuesday.
The blast, which occurred around 9:00 pm Monday, also damaged 20 nearby homes, Puebla Gov. Miguel Barbosa told a press conference.
Two of the dead were minors and several passengers aboard a passing bus suffered burns, he said.
Witnesses said that the blast could be heard and felt in neighboring towns.
The tragedy came less than 24 hours after one person died and eight others were hurt in an explosion at a fireworks factory in Santa Maria Zacatepec, Puebla.
Such accidents are frequent in central Mexico, where the fireworks industry is concentrated, as production ramps up for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
The worst single incident in recent years took place in December 2016, when a fireworks blast at a market in the Mexico City suburb of Tultepec resulted in 42 deaths. EFE
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