A firefighter extinguishing a fire
19°40′6″N 99°7′37″W / 19.66833°N 99.12694°W / 19.66833; -99.12694
Aftermath of the explosion
| |
| Date | 20 December 2016 (2016-12-20)[1] |
|---|---|
| Time | ~15:00 CST (21:00 UTC)[1] |
| Venue | San Pablito Market[2] |
| Location | Tultepec, State of Mexico, Mexico[2] |
| Type | Fireworks accident[2] |
| Cause | Likely gunpowder explosion[3] |
| Deaths | 42[4] |
| Non-fatal injuries | 84[5] |
| Missing | 12[6] |
On 20 December 2016, a fireworks accident occurred at the San Pablito Market in the city of Tultepec, north of Valley of Mexico.[2][7][8] At least 42 people were killed in the explosion,[4] and dozens injured.[5]
Tultepec has a major fireworks culture and industry,[9] with a two hundred-year history of fireworks production.[10] About 65% of the population of the town is directly or indirectly involved in fireworks production.[10] According to the Instituto Mexiquense de la Pirotecnia, 436 fireworks workshops or retailers were registered in the Tultepec municipality.[10] San Pablito Market is a major center for Mexican handcrafted fireworks.[2] The city had implemented new safety measures in the market following firework-related explosions in 2005 and 2006.[1]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Explosion at Mexico fireworks market, The Guardian. |
The cause of the explosion is unknown, but sources preliminarily claimed that gunpowder from the fireworks ignited the explosion.[3] Up to 300 tonnes of fireworks were reported to have been present at the market.[11] The explosion occurred at approximately 15:00 CST (21:00 UTC).[1] As of 24 December, at least 36 people died,[5] with at least 84 more injured.[5] Of the dead, 26 died at the site of the explosion and the remaining at the hospital.[12] Of the injured, 46 individuals were hospitalized, five of whom were in critical condition.[12]
Six children were among the injured, including a girl with burns to over 90% of her body.[13] Once they were stable and guardians had been contacted, these children were planned to be transferred to Shriners Hospital for ChildreninGalveston, Texas, United States, to be treated.[13] Nearby homes were damaged significantly[14] and much of the market was leveled in the explosion.[15]
José Manzur, representing the government of the State of Mexico, stated that all funeral and medical bills of those killed and injured will be paid for by the government.[12] President Enrique Peña Nieto offered his condolences and ordered federal agencies to coordinate with state authorities to help the families of those affected, particularly in medical care.[16] Germán Galicia Cortes, the president of San Pablito Market, said that vendors would receive government assistance to help cover their losses, and pledged to re-open the market.[17] The office of the federal attorney general began an investigation into the incident, with forensic investigators deployed to the site on 21 December.[18]
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| >100 deaths |
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| ≤100 deaths |
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All structures were factory warehouse if unspecified above. See also: List of industrial disasters. | |
